Thread: Debate Intensifies Over Federal Deportation Policy

Debate Intensifies Over Federal Deportation Policy
Michael Stravato for The New York Times
Celio Velásquez, center, was accused of drunken driving and running over a volunteer firefighter. The fingerprint check identified him as an illegal immigrant.

By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr.
Published: July 25, 2009

HOUSTON — The Obama administration is vastly expanding a federal effort begun under President George W. Bush to identify and deport illegal immigrants held in local jails. But here in the city where the effort got a trial start eight months ago, people on each side of the immigration debate have found fault with it.


At the Harris County jail in Houston, every set of fingerprints is checked against an immigration database, and illegal immigrants are referred to federal authorities for possible deportation.
Under the effort, known as Secure Communities, local officials check every set of fingerprints taken at jails against those of people who have had a brush with federal immigration authorities; in the past, they could check only for a criminal history in the F.B.I. database. If a person turns out to be an illegal immigrant, the case is turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for possible deportation proceedings in addition to the criminal charges.

The Obama administration considers the trial program successful enough to pledge $195 million over the next year to expand the effort with an eye toward establishing it nationwide by late 2012, when it is projected to cost about $1 billion a year. It is now under way in 70 counties across the country, including those containing the cities of San Diego, Phoenix, Dallas, Miami and Durham, N.C.

“Before we had no idea who was deportable,â€

They are all criminals.............

Enforce our immigration laws, use Attrition and/or Deport remaining illegals and anchors.

Charges Against Immigrants Sent Home

Published: July 25, 2009
HOUSTON — A review of the illegal immigrants selected for deportation in jails in Harris County, Tex., shows that the biggest categories of offenses were drunken driving and drug possession, mostly misdemeanors.
From January to May, about 670 deportees were arrested in each of those categories.

In addition, about 446 of the illegal immigrants identified for deportation were arrested on charges of simple assault, 90 on charges of aggravated assault and 30 on charges of aggravated robbery. Thirteen were arrested on charges of sexual assault on a child. Seven were arrested on murder charges, including one man who was wanted for a killing in Mexico.

An additional 150 were held in connection with traffic violations, including a score of people accused of driving without a license. The police arrested 101 people accused of running from them, 55 accused of failing to give an officer information, and 81 who allegedly did not have any identification.


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/26/us/26 ... ss&emc=rss

Stop them before they begin their life of crime.

Better to arrest them at a lower crime level than allow their criminal activities to escalate and hurt and /or kill innocent Americans.

I want to know why we even care what illegals or any group supporting them thinks.