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04/28/06
Immigration Impact--Part II

More and more people are in the United States illegally. Some say it's out of control. Police say it's having an impact on the crime rate. From Chatham County to Evans County, Beaufort to Garden City, law enforcement officers throughout the Coastal Empire and Low Country are seeing more crimes involving illegals--both as suspects and as victims.

There have been several pretty high-profile cases in the news so far this year. A few of them, very serious.

Several immigrants have been the targets of home invasions, one man was shot in March during a robbery attempt in Savannah's English Oaks apartment complex, and Evans County is investigating a roadside crash and beating death from a couple of weeks ago where the the victim and the suspects are here illegally.

And there was a big fire on Ogeechee Road in January which raged out of control. Tito Vega, an illegal immigrant, is charged with setting the Yellow Tire store on fire and killing the man inside. Those are just a few examples.

We rode around with Chief David Lyons of the Garden City Police Department to see for ourselves the immigration impact on his city.

Garden City police help keep the peace for the 11,000 people who live there. And for the additional 6,000 to 8,000 thousand they estimate who live there illegally.

"They are already here," said Chief Lyons. "I have to figure out a way to get along with them."

Garden City police have four Spanish-speaking officers. Officer Lee Rodriguez is half Cuban, half Puerto Rican. One of his responsibilities is to build a relationship with Garden City's Hispanic immigrant population.

"I've been to several meetings with them in the past," said Mexican immigrant Marco Alvarez. "It's important so these guys know what's going on."

Local police say they've seen an increase in crimes against the Hispanic population, specifically break-ins, home invasions and robberies.

"They get paid in cash, they don't have a social security card, so they can't open a bank account," explained Chief Lyons. "So everything they do is in cash."

Which makes them prime targets.

Crimes where illegals are at fault are also on the rise. "Where we do have a serious problem is traffic offenses," said Chief Lyons. "Driving offenses, DUI, no driver's license, no insurance, seatbelts, child safety seats."

In February, two illegal immigrants were charged with killing 21-year-old Latoya Holloway in a drunk driving accident on Ogeechee Road in Garden City. While Felix Maldonado and Jesus Perez are awaiting trial, taxpayers are housing and feeding them in the Chatham County jail.

"If, by some stroke of luck, the federal government got involved and said, 'We are going to kick them out of the country and deport them,' within two weeks they'd be back in the country again and could very likely be in Chatham County again," said Chief Lyons. "At least, them being in jail, I don't have to worry about those two ripping up and down the highways drunk, killing someone."

Evans County deputies recently learned that lesson. Earlier this month, they say Jose Ayala was one of three men who killed Juan Salas when they ran him off the road and beat him to death near US 208.

"He's been in our jail a couple of times," said Randall Tippins with the Evans County Sheriff's Department. "He's been deported back in December, 2004, immigration picked him up then. Then we had him in jail on misdemeanor charges, even under a different name."

Local law enforcement agencies all over the Coastal Empire and Low Country are burdened with trying to figure out how to handle the ever-increasing illegal immigrant population.

Officers recognize not all illegal immigrants are criminals. They need the trust of the entire illegal population to help them solve crimes, identify the bad guys and keep our communities safe.

American taxpayers are footing the bill in more ways than they realize when it comes to illegal immigrants. We are also paying to educate their children and cover their emergency medical costs.

But does failing to educate or care for them make the situation worse? We'll have some answers to those questions tonight on THE News at 6 as we go inside a local school with a growing immigrant student population.

Reported by: Michelle Paynter, mpaynter@wtoc.com