Thread: 30,000 illegal aliens waiting for deportation in the U.S.

USA 11/7/08

30,000 illegal aliens waiting for deportation in the US

The number of immigrants locked up in US jails has exploded in the past 15 years, after a law that allows "double punishment" was introduced. Today, 30,000 detainees are awaiting deportation.

The number of detained immigrants in the US has gone from 5,000 in 1994 to more than 30,000 in 2008 according to a study by OneAmerica, a non-profit organisation in collaboration with the Seattle University School of Law. The explosion in numbers is due to a change in the law passed in 1996, which classed almost any crime taken out by an immigrant as an "aggravated crime". Whether you're robbing a bank or just smoking a spliff, you're on the list.



When an immigrant's found guilty of an "aggravated crime", they will have already completed the length of their sentence by the time they reach the detention centre, to then wait for extradition. The law doesn't only affect those who've committed crimes after 1996. It's retroactive and so takes in crimes committed beforehand. Therefore, immigrants with a criminal record who leave the country risk being sent to a detention centre on their return and then extradited. While some Americans find the rule "unfair and insane", others consider it normal that immigrants are subjected to stricter rules than US citizens.

Contributors

Deborah Notkin


Ira Mehlman

"The biggest problem with this law is that it’s retroactive"
Deborah Notkin is a spokesperson for AILA, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, a national organisation of attorneys specialised in immigration laws.

The 1996 law that eliminated all discretion for any minor offence is unfair and insane! Before that, immigrants who had committed a minor violation wouldn't have been kept in mandatory detention when re-entering the country. The situation would have been explained and relief would have been granted. This law makes arrangements impossible. Even though they might understand the situation and sympathise with the people, judges have no choice but to detain them. What's more; many detention centres don't appear to have controls in place; some of these facilities have been contracted out to non-governmental organisations. A well-funded anti-immigration lobby called The Pioneer Fund is responsible for this law. It's a xenophobic, white supremacist organization.



The biggest problem with this law is that it's retroactive. Non-citizens charged with small crimes before 1996 were systematically told by their lawyer to plead guilty because at that time they didn't risk much more than a fine. But now, since the law has changed, the same people risk being sent to detention centres if ever they venture out of the country and try to come back. Almost all crimes related to drugs or firearms are now considered aggravated offences."


Deborah Notkin

United States
Immigration lawyer
"There is no reason why immigrants who break the law should stay in the US"
Ira Mehlman is the National Media Director for FAIR (Federation for American Immigration Reform), a non-profit organisation that advocates reduced immigration.


Immigrants on US soil don't only violate the law when they commit a crime. They also violate the terms and conditions on which they're here. So since they have a different status than citizens, it's normal that they don't face the same charges. Immigrants have always had a special status as for law offences, but before 1996, it wasn't really enforced. In 1996, Congress made it more specific. We (FAIR) are advocating in favor of this reform. Millions of immigrants would be happy to come to the US so there is no reason why those who break the law should stay. Of course some cases should go to the bottom of the pile. If an immigration officer has two cases: one bank robber and someone who smoked a joint, he should go after the bank robber first. But there is nothing wrong with the law itself. And, just to give you an example, when you're arrested by an officer for driving 10 km above the speed limit, you can't say it's not a big deal just because some people drive 50 km above the limit!"

United States

http://observers.france24.com/en/conten ... entres-usa

Millions of immigrants would be happy to come to the US so there is no reason why those who break the law should stay.

Exactly!

Millions of immigrants ARE legally coming to the us evidently 1 million this year alone....hello what is the death rate here I'd like to know.

Notice it's immigration attorneys crying about a law that blocks them from clients. They want to represent these criminals and make a buck off of them. For an immigration attorneys, Illegal Aliens = $$$$$ Those attorneys don't take these cases because it is a no win and they can't make any money off of it. You change that law and they will have a whole new pool of clients, I ment more $$$$$.

While some Americans find the rule "unfair and insane", others consider it normal that immigrants are subjected to stricter rules than US citizens.
..."The biggest problem with this law is that it’s retroactive"

I love this law and I was so glad when it was enacted. It sweeps the all the bad seeds out. You take away this law, and people that become citizens become our permanent problem. This law rounded up so many sex offenders and child predators. These people became citizens and they dropped all the good behavior act.

The retroactive part was the best. We don’t want the criminals of other countries living here or becoming citizens. Bye! The types of crime that get you thrown out of here are not accidents. If you have ever committed such a crime, good riddance!

We have homegrown crime, we sure as heck don't need to be importing it.

Dixie

This article is from a French newspaper. I wonder why we haven't seen this info in the U.S. newspapers.