[Texas: Gov.]Perry demands immigration action by feds

Houston Chronicle ^ | Nov. 19, 2008 | SUSAN CARROLL

[SwinneySwitch]

After a Chronicle investigation, governor urges steps to ensure criminals here illegally don't avoid deportation

Gov. Rick Perry and members of the state's congressional delegation called on the federal government Tuesday to take steps to help state and local officials ensure that illegal immigrants who commit crimes in Texas remain in custody until they are deported.

In a strongly worded letter to Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff, Perry said he was outraged to learn that many convicted illegal immigrants in Texas jails were released after they completed their jail sentences instead of being deported.

In a series of stories this week, the Houston Chronicle outlined gaps in the screening of inmates in local jails that allowed scores of violent criminals, including some ordered deported decades ago, to walk away from Harris County Jail despite the inmates' admission to Harris County jailers that they were in the country illegally.

"Texas has spent the last four years investing unprecedented amounts of state resources to secure our border with Mexico," Perry said in his letter to Chertoff. "To now learn that criminal aliens who have been jailed are being released back into our communities by federal authorities who have neglected to secure our border is infuriating and unconscionable."

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and U.S. Reps. John Culberson, R-Houston, Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, and Michael McCaul, R-Austin, called on Immigration and Customs Enforcement to improve screening in the nation's jails and better coordinate efforts to identify illegal immigrants convicted of crimes while they are incarcerated. Brady asked for a meeting of the Houston-area congressional delegation to help ICE determine what resources are needed to "close the terrible gaps in detaining and deporting" illegal immigrants convicted of crimes.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Perry also was an early supporter of Guiliani - and supports Rudi’s idea of an electronic ID system to track illegals. So we won’t do a dang thing about them, but we’ll know where they are? Sheesh.

[Proud_texan]

Yep, that same Perry. Ya know, the one that’s in love with colonias and who says that word in Spanish means “community”.

[Sarajevo]

OMG! A Gov. Goodhair supporter.

[SuzyQue]

Ummmmm...he IS a politician.

[gubamyster]

ping

[TADSLOS]

OK, sounds good, but I don’t trust this guy, after he jealously cut short the time of a scheduled news conference by Palin at the governor’s soiree recently.

And you shouldn't. Perry always keeps his finger wet and pointed upward.

[Marauder]

I used to live in the Dallas area and I remember North Dallas around Bachman Lake was a nice area, and even Harry Hines between Loop 12 and LBJ wasn’t totally unsightly. But the last time I drove through that area it looked like a shanty-town barrio. Does it still?

[Kimberly GG]

They’ve ALL committed the crime of entering ILLEGALLY.

Therefore, they are ALL criminals.

B.s. on the distinctions.

But, bottom line, deportation is a complete waste of our time and money unless our borders are effectively secured.

Funny how people like PERRY, who are anti-border security, will rail on one issue and purposefully ignore mentioning the other. He’s not stupid, he knows one is impossible to control without the other. He, like the rest, just wants America to fall for his dog and pony show.