Lake County sheriff seeks immigration enforcement authority
Martin E. Comas

Sentinel Staff Writer

March 29, 2008

TAVARES - When a Lake deputy sheriff arrests a suspected illegal immigrant, U.S. Border Patrol agents are called to the jail to determine if the person should be deported.

But now Sheriff Gary Borders wants 15 of his deputies to have the authority to screen such arrestees and determine whether they're in this country illegally.

"It would allow us to deport them if that's the case," Borders said Friday. "Many times, [U.S.] Border Patrol -- maybe it's because they're understaffed -- say, 'No, we're not going to come [to Lake County].' So we end up turning a guy back out into the streets."

Those trained deputies also would be authorized to investigate whether a suspect is transporting or hiring illegal immigrants.

Borders said that his request last week to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is not part of a campaign strategy during an election year, adding "it's not a big focus" of his campaign.

"It started because of the community meetings we have every month where illegal immigration is brought up by the citizens of our county," Borders said.

Borders faces a crowded field of candidates in his election bid, including former Sheriff George Knupp, retired Lake sheriff's Maj. Tom Mysinger, Orange County sheriff's Capt. Patricia Wells and Daniel Sells.

If Borders' application for the "cross-designation" program is approved, the 15 hand-picked deputies would undergo up to 4 1/2 weeks of training paid for by ICE and could be ready within nine months, according to sheriffs officials.

The program also would free up space at the county jail, they added.

On any day, the Lake County Jail might have up to 50 suspected illegal immigrants, many picked up on minor charges such as driving without a license, who are waiting for the Border Patrol. Some face more serious charges. Borders said it costs about $50 a day to house an inmate.

Under the new system, Lake deputies would process the illegal immigrants for deportation after the resolution of the suspects' court cases on the local charges, Borders said.

Sheriffs officials, however, said the trained deputies would continue their regular duties and not focus solely on tracking and deporting illegal immigrants.

"That's not what these 15 deputies are going to be doing full time," sheriff's spokesman Sgt. John Herrell said. "We're looking at this as an opportunity to enhance our resources and our skills in dealing with certain situations" involving illegal immigrants.

Herrell added that deputies often have trouble identifying illegal immigrants. Often they must wait for Border Patrol agents to conduct a screening and determine who they are and why they're here.

Collier County is the only sheriff's office in the state whose deputies now have the authority to enforce immigration laws, Borders said.

Borders and his staff said the ICE application is not a result of Sunday's beating of a Lake deputy by a crowd of suspected illegal immigrants.

Borders sent his written request to ICE on March 18, five days before the attack, Herrell said.

This week, deputies increased their patrols in the Sorrento area to find people who took part in attacking the deputy. By Friday, 20 suspected illegal immigrants had been detained by Lake law enforcement. They will be turned over to Border Patrol and likely deported, Herrell said.

According to reports, Deputy Cliff McMennamy was responding to complaints of a loud party when an angry mob of revelers kicked and punched him and hit him over the head with a beer bottle.

The suspects scattered when other deputies arrived.

By Friday, one suspect, Miguel Gomez, 35, who owns the home where the party was held, was arrested in connection with the attack.

Investigators suspect illegal immigrants also might have been involved.

However, deputies are getting little help from people who live in the community, according to sheriff's officials.

"We're not being met with a lot of cooperation," Herrell said.


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