http://www.newstimeslive.com/news/story.php?id=1018108

Oct 18 2006 6:54 AM
Immigration agents to keep focus on Danbury
23 illegal immigrants arrested this year


By Elizabeth Putnam
THE NEWS-TIMES

DANBURY -- The arrests one week ago of four illegal immigrants wanted on deportation warrants marked the seventh known stop by federal immigration agents in Danbury since the beginning of the year.

But it's only the second known time the arrested illegal immigrants likely were not violent criminals or convicted felons.

"I don't have any statistics, but I believe there are more frequent examinations of businesses and locations for illegal immigrants who don't necessarily have a criminal background," said Kevin Dehghani, an immigration lawyer in New Haven.

Agents from U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement arrested three men Oct. 11 after checking last-known addresses of fugitives in Danbury. The fourth man was arrested after a routine traffic stop on Balmforth Avenue.

A total of 23 illegal immigrants have been arrested in Danbury this year by ICE; another man was detained for what authorities called invalid citizenship papers.

It remains unclear, however, why ICE chose to stop in Danbury last week and check the addresses of the men. Police Chief Al Baker said he did not have criminal backgrounds.

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton and some immigration lawyers said federal immigration agents will continue to focus on illegal immigrants who don't have criminal backgrounds over the next several months, arresting more undocumented workers and investigating companies that employ them.

"Based on what I know from meetings with officials and law enforcement, (ICE) has changed some of their policies to more aggressively arrest illegal immigrants," Boughton said.

Michael Boyle, an immigration lawyer in Danbury and North Haven, said the Sept. 19 incident, when federal immigration agents arrested 11 men who were among the many near Kennedy Park waiting for jobs, is uncommon for ICE.

He said it is the first known time that ICE arrested illegal immigrants in Danbury who were not violent criminals or convicted of felonies -- and although ICE routinely picks up illegal immigrants on deportation warrants, it's likely ICE is stepping up its pace.

"You can't ignore that it's an election year," Boyle said.

Although some illegal immigrants on deportation warrants are wanted because of a criminal past, many are wanted for being caught while entering the United States and then failing to pay a bond or appear before a judge.

Alexander Lumelsky, an immigration lawyer in Farmington, and Boyle both said it's common for people to get caught crossing the border and then fail to follow the proper immigration procedures.

"If you are caught crossing the border, (immigration agents) will either detain you or release you on a bond or a promise to appear," Boyle said. "But often times there are mix-ups and confusion. It's common that the person won't get the notice to appear."

Three of the men arrested in Danbury one week ago had previously faced a federal immigration judge for being in the United States illegally, but they never left the country. A fourth man previously had been deported but returned to the U.S.

"Those are all common reasons for warrants," Dehghani said.

Federal immigration agents more routinely pick up illegal immigrants on deportation warrants than they pose as contractors to arrest day laborers, Boyle said.

Paula Grenier, an ICE spokeswoman, said she could not comment on whether ICE has stepped up its arrests of illegal immigrants who do not have a criminal background.

ICE's presence in Danbury is part of the agency's National Fugitive Operations Program, similar to an initiative dubbed Operation Returned to Sender, which apprehended about 2,180 criminal illegal immigrants, illegal immigrant gang members, and other immigration status violators from May 26 though June 13, Grenier said.

The National Fugitive Operations Program began in 2002 and is designed to identify, locate, apprehend, process and remove illegal immigrants. The highest priority is placed on those who have been convicted of crimes.