Give local cops more authority, judge says
illegal immigration
Give local cops more authority, judge says
Correale Stevens says local cops should be able to detain, deport illegal immigrants.
RON LIEBACK rlieback@timesleader.com
The cops pull over a car for speeding in your town.
The driver and passenger admit they’re illegal immigrants.
Because their identities are not in the system, the cops can’t run background checks, and are unaware if the driver or passenger has a clean record or is wanted on charges of theft, DUI, rape, maybe even murder.
Whatever the case, the cops don’t have a detainer from federal Immigration and Customs Enforcements, so guess what happens.
Police have to release them, unable to know if they just let a dangerous criminal go back out among the public.
“This stuff is going on and people don’t know about it,” state Superior Judge Correale “Corry” Stevens said. “Without knowing their background, this could be a serious issue.”
Stevens’ solution — allow local police to arrest illegal immigrants without the permission of the federal government.
“Amend the federal law to share the power with local government,” he said. “Allowing them to go free just isn’t right or fair for everyone else.”
A recent article in the Standard-Speaker prompted Stevens to write to a member of the state House of Representatives, asking for a House resolution that calls attention to the need to amend federal law so local governments have the power to arrest, detain and deport illegal immigrants.
The newspaper article indicated that two illegal immigrants had to be released from Tamaqua police custody after Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials refused to have them detained for immigration violations. The car they were traveling in was stopped for speeding, the article states.
Stevens said under the current law, police must get the approval of the feds to detain and deport the illegal immigrants, and that approval is not forthcoming.
“It’s more of a local government problem because they are here,” the Dickinson Law School graduate said. “To say it’s just a federal problem doesn’t solve anything.”
In August, state police in Hazleton stopped a vehicle for speeding on Interstate 80. Four illegal immigrants from Mexico were in the car.
Immigration officials were contacted and chose not to take action. The four were released and continued their trip.
Stevens said Pennsylvanians are frustrated and believe our justice system is being hypocritical and actually favoring people who are in the country illegally over those who are tax-paying, law-abiding citizens.
“People are really mad when I discuss this issue,” said Stevens, who is also a political science instructor at Penn State. “They think the illegal immigrants have special rights over everyone.”
Regarding the costs of deportation, Stevens said they can be paid from fines against local businesses who hire illegal immigrants and from federal grants issued to local governments for enforcing the law.
“I’ve been a legislator and prosecuted,” he said. “There is nothing unconstitutional about amending the federal laws so local government has the power to arrest and deport.”
Stevens has served in the House of Representatives, as a district attorney and a trial judge before his election to Superior Court. Through these experiences, he said, the only solution is to amend the federal law so local government has the power.
“Otherwise, the administration of justice will continue to suffer,” Stevens wrote the state House of Representatives. “And illegal aliens will continue to take advantage of our citizens.”
“It’s more of a local government problem because they are here.”
Correale Stevens State Superior Court judge
Ron Lieback may be contacted at 829-7210.
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