N.C. congresswoman: Why does North Carolina have one deportation officer?
Posted on Thursday, July 21 @ 08:49:25 EDT
Topic: Sue Myrick (R), US Congress, NC-9
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 Four days after a North Carolina man was killed in accident involving an illegal immigrant, U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick has asked federal immigration officials to explain why the state has just one deportation officer
(Sue Myrick, Congress, Senate, Republican, campaigns, laws, illegal aliens, crimes, security, ICE)
7/21/2005
Associated Press
Myrick, R-N.C., wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and other officials about the death of Scott Gardner of Mount Holly, who was killed Saturday when his car was hit by a truck driven by an illegal immigrant later charged with driving while impaired.
The wreck marks the fourth time in three years that Ramiro Gallegos, 25, of Supply in Brunswick County, has faced DWI charges.
"It should not take a horrible incident like this to draw attention to this persistent problem plaguing the enforcement of our immigration laws," Myrick wrote.
Gallegos remained in Brunswick County jail Wednesday charged with second-degree murder as well as DWI. Immigration officials said they put a detainer on him, meaning they will deport him to Mexico if he's convicted.
In her letter, Myrick called Gardner's death "entirely preventable." Having one immigration officer for North Carolina is "inexcusable," she said.
Sue Brown, a spokeswoman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said her agency will work with Myrick and other authorities to look into the situation.
She said the agency had no record of Gallegos since immigration authorities arrested him in 1998. No details of that arrest were immediately available.
"When we find out that somebody is breaking the immigration law, we don't turn our heads," Brown said.
Though North Carolina has an estimated 300,000 illegal immigrants, the state has one federal deportation officer who's among fewer than 10 people in the state who work for Detention and Removal Operations, a unit of ICE.
ICE also has about 50 investigators in North Carolina whose duties are divided between immigration violations and customs cases such as drug smuggling.
Meanwhile, state Highway Patrol troopers have arrested the owner of a truck that Gallegos was driving.
Lazero Presa-Martinez, 24, of Wilmington was charged late Tuesday with allowing his vehicle to be used by an impaired and unlicensed driver, both misdemeanors. Martinez, a legal immigrant, was booked at Brunswick County Jail and released after posting bond.
Scott Gardner's wife, Tina, remained in critical condition at New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington. She had not regained consciousness. Their two children suffered minor injuries.
Funeral services for Scott Gardner are planned for 11 a.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church in Mount Holly with burial at Hillcrest Cemetery. Visitation will be 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at the church.
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