Thread: Traffic charges can bring deporation

Traffic charges can bring deporation
Sarah Ovaska

GRAHAM — Some illegal immigrants in North Carolina are being deported after being jailed for traffic violations.

Opponents of the program to screen jail inmates’ immigration status say deportations after traffic arrests hurt people who are basically law-abiding and productive. Supporters, however, say that the immigrants are being held to the same standards as citizens and that deportation is a just consequence of being in the country illegally.

Mecklenburg, Alamance, Cabarrus and Gaston counties participate in the program, in which local jailers find illegal immigrants already in custody and cooperate with federal officials to deport them. Wake County commissioners designated more than $600,000 last week to bring the program to Wake County in the next six months.

In Mecklenburg, 29 percent of the 3,175 people processed for removal since the program’s inception in 2006 came into the county jail on traffic violations, ranging from driving without a license to reckless driving, according to data kept by the Sheriff’s Office. In Alamance, the percentage of traffic violators may be as high as 37 percent. According to Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson, 670 people have been processed for removal or sent letters ordering them to appear in immigration court.

Gaston and Cabarrus counties did not provide statistics.

Supporters of the effort said illegal immigrants deported as a result of the jail program are getting their just deserts.

“It’s the second time they’ve broken the law,â€

“We didn’t put her in that position; she put her in that position and her family in that position,â€

The Raleigh, N.C., News&Observer is a liberal rag that is constantly publishing illegal alien sob stories. The McClatchey chain, owner of the N&O, are definitely sympathetic to the illegals. In other words, they support open borders and the breaking of our laws!

How does it separate parents and children?

Isn't it time we put that old mantra to rest - right along with 'racist'.

The standard answer to that kind of garbage should be 'What kind of parents would even consider leaving their children?"

There was a story on here recently about the government taking an American born child from its American foster parents and returning it to Mexico to it's grandmother.

Now if they can send it back TO a grandparent, they can certainly send them back WITH their own parents.

Comments on the N&O site favor 287(g) and deporting. Its better than the article they published last week.

I dont see anyone being swayed by these stories of Illegal Aliens with anchor babies. They broke the law getting here now are paying the price. Why would the judge provide leniency?

And would we be surprised if she doesnt show up for her court date? We see a lot of them skipping out on their court date out here.

And then there are two less non-citizens overcrowding our schools. Sounds like Alamance wins all around.