Thread: Illegal Mexican alien sentenced after six prior deportations

Illegal Mexican alien sentenced after six prior deportations
By Dan Herbeck NEWS STAFF REPORTER
Updated: 03/21/07 7:12 AM


A 29-year-old Mexican farm worker who has been deported at least six times for illegally entering the United States will spend 15 months in federal prison.

Vincente Santiago-Castro then will be sent back to Mexico once again.

Santiago-Castro, whose case was described as sadly typical by federal court authorities, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.

U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested Santiago-Castro last Sept. 13 in Eden. The illegal alien had been working at a nursery in the Southern Tier.

Speaking through an interpreter, he apologized to the judge for his actions.

“He came from a very poor town in Mexico, where they don’t even have electricity, and he came here to work,” said Marianne Mariano, a federal public defender who represented Santiago-Castro. “He’s been sending $200 a month to his parents and two children back home.

“It’s a very sad case, because his family depends on that money.”

According to court papers filed by the Homeland Security Department, Santiago-Castro was deported from the United States on at least six previous occasions between 1998 and 2001.

Joseph B. Mistrett, who heads the public defender’s office, said he has represented many men in similar circumstances to those of Santiago- Castro.

“Most of them are individuals who come to the United States because they’re in dire circumstances in Mexico or other countries,” Mistrett said. “They generally come here to pick apples or tomatoes and send money back to their families. They don’t live in luxury while they’re here, either.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory L. Brown represented the government at Monday’s sentencing. He said Skretny sentenced Santiago-Castro at the low end of advisory sentencing guidelines.

The government has been trying to crack down on an estimated 12 million illegal aliens who live in the United States. An estimated 40,000 migrant farm workers — some of them illegals — work in Central and Western New York each year.

Last summer, U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement agents conducted several large roundups of illegal aliens in the region.

Most of the illegal aliens arrested in such roundups are sent back to their home countries after noncriminal proceedings, authorities said. But because of his previous deportations, Santiago-Castro was prosecuted as a felon for illegal re-entry.

“I think his case is very ironic, because just last week, you had President Bush in Mexico, talking to the Mexican president about a guest worker program,” Mariano said. “That’s just the kind of program that would have benefited this man. Now, he’ll probably never be allowed to take part in a program like that.”

dherbeck@buffnews.com



Find this article at:
http://www.buffalonews.com/102/story/37033.html


© 2007 The Buffalo News.

This guy came here 6 times illegally? What an abomination. This is the pattern of illegal entry that so many aliens follow over and over and why we are now in this mess.

He is repeat felon offender and nobody should feel sorry for him, including that so-called public defender, Mariano.

According to court papers filed by the Homeland Security Department, Santiago-Castro was deported from the United States on at least six previous occasions between 1998 and 2001.

Doesn't look like he's been picking too many apples. He spends most of his time sneaking back into the US.

I thought there was some sort of law that sentenced illegal aliens to 5 or 10 years prison time if caught again after being deported.

It must have been a dream.

“I think his case is very ironic, because just last week, you had President Bush in Mexico, talking to the Mexican president about a guest worker program,” Mariano said. “That’s just the kind of program that would have benefited this man. Now, he’ll probably never be allowed to take part in a program like that.”

With Boosh in office, I wouldn't bet against it.