An 'underground society' in making
Forum lawyer says crackdowns creating atmosphere of fear, silence
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By Lauren Pack
Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 30, 2008

MIDDLETOWN — Complicated, costly immigration laws and a sheriff vocal about cracking down on illegal immigrants has created an atmosphere of fear and silence in the area, according to an area immigration attorney.

"We have created an underground society and poured concrete on top," said attorney Lea Webb of Hamilton County during a panel discussion Tuesday sponsored by Miami University Middletown Diversity Council at the Middletown campus.

Webb noted many people in the country illegally are afraid to report crimes against them or other illegal activity because of Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones' push for stronger federal and state laws to deal with illegal immigrants he says are clogging the court system.

Jones, who was invited to the forum, could not attend because he was called to testify Tuesday in Columbus about illegal immigration before a state Senate subcommittee.

Jones has championed the cause for local Immigration and Customs Enforcement powers for years.

Eight sheriff's deputies are scheduled to return early next week from a month of training in a partnership with ICE that will allow them limited federal power to enforce immigration laws in Butler County.

"People know when the sheriff is coming back from training and there will be no reporting of crimes," Webb said.

She said the current immigration law is so complicated that many do not understand how it works. It is also expensive and prohibitive, especially to those who are in the country illegally.

"If they are here and undocumented, they cannot apply for citizenship. They have to go out of the country to apply," Webb said.

For those who come here legally to work, they have five years to apply for citizenship. Fees for that application recently have increased, she said it's often too costly for families or individuals.

The panel discussion, attended by members of the community and college and high school students, also included Lt. Rodney Muterspaw of the Middletown Division of Police; Jackie Phillips, director of nursing for the Middletown Health Department; and Barbara Forbus and Lilly Narusevich of the Jewish Family Service in Cincinnati.

"It is not true illegal immigrants commit more crimes than American citizens. Most are hard working people who are looking for a better way of life," Muterspaw said.

Most of the difficulties police have with illegal immigrants surround a lack of identification and language barriers, he said.

"Most of the people who are here illegally are very open about it. They are honest. They will tell you they are here for a better life," Muterspaw said. "We do not just lock illegal immigrants up, unless they have committed a crime. We refer immigration issues to the sheriff's office or ICE."

Phillips said health officials and county health centers focus on treatment and not whether someone is here illegally.

"I don't want to focus on the status of a person, I want to focus on whether or not they are healthy," Phillips said.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2168 or lpack@coxohio.com.
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