Thread: TN: Bradley County skipped again for immigration program

Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009
Bradley County skipped again for immigration program

By: Perla Trevizo

A federal program that gives state and local officers the ability to enforce immigration law continues to grow, but it still hasn't been authorized for Bradley County.

"We tried to apply for the 287(g) a long time ago, and we received a notice (in August) that we were not accepted into program," said Bradley County Sheriff Tim Gobble, whose office applied in 2007 to be part of the program.

But from the attempts to receive training for 287(g), the sheriff's office got into the Criminal Alien Program, where officers try to verify the legal status of everyone arrested in Bradley County. An arrested person found to be in the country illegally is turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after serving any county sentence imposed by a court.

ICE workers help local law enforcement determine the best programs to fit a community's needs, spokeswoman Nicole Navas said. They also look at the local criminal illegal immigrant population to determine if 287(g) is needed, she said.

"In Bradley County, the needs of identifying criminal aliens that are a threat to public safety are being met through ICE's Criminal Alien Program," she added.

Federal officials recently announced 287(g) agreements with 67 local and state law enforcement agencies, one more than last year. The agreements put a priority on deporting illegal immigrants who commit other crimes, according to a news release.

Seven law enforcement agencies in Tennessee and Georgia participate in the program, including the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office.

Many immigrant and civil rights groups say the program leads to racial profiling and separates families.

Some are worried that immigrants may be arrested for minor offenses as a guise to initiate deportation proceedings.

To address those concerns, the new agreement "requires participating local law enforcement agencies to pursue all criminal charges that originally caused the offender to be taken into custody," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in the release.

Sheriff Gobble said even though his office didn't get into 287(g), the Criminal Alien Program has worked well.

"We feel we are making some progress in the illegal immigration area," he said. "We are very active in trying to identify those who are here illegally and commit other crimes; we don't want to be a sanctuary county for illegal immigration."

WHAT IS 287(g)?

* An agreement between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and state and local law enforcement agencies to perform immigration functions

* Designated officers trained under the supervision of sworn U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are permitted to enforce immigration law

Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

287(g) CLOSER TO HOME:

Tennessee

* Tennessee Highway Patrol/Department of Public Safety

* Davidson County Sheriff's Office

Georgia

* Cobb County Sheriff's Office

* Georgia Department of Public Safety

* Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office

* Hall County Sheriff's Office

* Whitfield County Sheriff's Office

Note: Agreements awaiting approval

Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

www.timesfreepress.com

this bradley county is just to the east and northeast of Chattanooga, TN
county seat is cleveland

Many immigrant and civil rights groups say the program leads to racial profiling and separates families.

Some are worried that immigrants may be arrested for minor offenses as a guise to initiate deportation proceedings.

Another embarrassment masquerading as a journalist. Amazing it is never ending.

This Perla Trevizo should not be able to draw a paycheck. Perhaps it is the editor's fault, in that case they should both be fired and sent back out into the real world to do some investigative work to find out the difference between a "immigrant" and an ILLEGAL ALIEN!

Another embarrassment masquerading as a journalist. Amazing it is never ending.

This Perla Trevizo should not be able to draw a paycheck. Perhaps it is the editor's fault, in that case they should both be fired and sent back out into the real world to do some investigative work to find out the difference between a "immigrant" and an ILLEGAL ALIEN!

This writer does the sympathy stories for illegal aliens. The Tennessean is another paper that repeatedly does stories from the perspective of open borders lobbyists. Where is the truth in the stories about Americans who have become victims of illegal immigration and illegal aliens?

Bradley County is reported to be where illegal aliens from all over East Tennessee and elsewhere get their fake and stolen identities. Illegal aliens are transferred from out of state to other locations via Cleveland,TN. According to some in Bradley County, illegal aliens are protected by the local City of Cleveland,TN Police. A MS 13 gang murder occurred in the Bradley County area, with the man being burned in a vehicle. Another more recent murder in Cleveland,TN is suspected to be gang related also. The hispanic store owner was likely killed in the style known as a "Columbian neck tie," a message to others to keep your mouth shut. The City of Cleveland Police say that this gruesome murder may never be solved.

Bradley County is a short distance from Whitfield County, where 287 was approved under Sheriff Chitwood. Dalton,GA is a largely hispanic area because of massive illegal immigration at the carpet mills and elsewhere.


Sheriff Tim Gobble is running for TN Congressman Zach Wamp's seat in Washington.

Psalm 139:14