Thread: OK-Number drops for jailed illegal immigrant suspects

Sunday: Number drops for jailed illegal immigrant suspects

By CURTIS KILLMAN
Published: 12/5/2009 3:00 PM
Last Modified: 12/5/2009 3:00 PM

State and local law enforcement officials have sent over 900 people to the Tulsa Jail this year who were also suspected of being an illegal immigrant, but their numbers appear to be decreasing.

Since January, the number of Tulsa Jail arrestees suspected of being an illegal immigrant decreased 16 percent compared to the same time period in 2008, according to the World analysis.

And while all but a small fraction of those held for immigration officials were jailed for non-violent offenses, many of those would never face deportation had they just paid their traffic ticket on time, officials say.

“Most of ours comes courtesy of the Tulsa Police Department,â€

What they do is move after an incident involving police. Often times they move out of state. Now with ICE in many jails verifying arrestees immigration status they are afraid to get caught and don't push their luck.

Related:
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Jail sees fewer detained for ICE
Many would never have faced jail if they had paid tickets on time.

This aerial photo shows the David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center in May. On a recent weekday, the jail housed 224 inmates with ICE holds.
TOM GILBERT

By CURTIS KILLMAN
Published: 12/6/2009 2:21 AM
Last Modified: 12/6/2009 4:11 AM

State and local law enforcement officials have sent more than 900 people to the Tulsa Jail this year who were also suspected of being illegal immigrants, but their numbers appear to be decreasing.

Since January, the number of Tulsa Jail arrestees suspected of being illegal immigrants decreased 16 percent compared with the same period in 2008, according to a World analysis.

And while all but a small fraction of those held for immigration officials were jailed for nonviolent offenses, many of those would never face deportation had they just paid their traffic ticket on time, officials say.

"Most of ours comes courtesy of the Tulsa Police Department," said Tulsa County Undersheriff Brian Edwards, referring to the arrests.

Indeed, about 70 percent of those being held for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials were arrested by Tulsa Police.

Tulsa Police only check immigration status on complaints of felonies and misdemeanors in which they are required to take someone into custody.

But once immigrants are in jail, the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office is authorized to place detainers on inmates in violation of immigration laws.

Tulsa City Prosecutor Robert Garner said many deportations stem from illegal immigrants failing to pay their traffic tickets. An unpaid ticket eventually will trigger an arrest warrant, he said.

Adrianna Naranjo is one recent example. She was jailed early Wednesday after a Tulsa police officer encountered her in a vehicle on a Tulsa street. The officer arrested her after records indicated Naranjo had warrants related to four traffic tickets, two dating to September 2008.

Once in jail, Tulsa County Sheriff officials placed a detainer on the 24-year-old Mexico native for immigration officials, records indicate.

Garner said many illegals are afraid they will be detained for immigration officials if they show up in municipal traffic court.

"If you just come in, plead and pay them, you're not going to ever have to go back to Mexico and have the sheriff checking the immigration status," said Garner.

Garner said it appears the number of illegal immigrants who appear in municipal court is decreasing in the past year.

"I don't think there are as many illegals in town these days," Garner said. "I think that law chased a lot of people off," referring to House Bill 1804, a state immigration enforcement law enacted in 2007.

A World analysis of jail records backs up Garner's view.

The number ICE detainers placed on Tulsa Jail inmates has decreased this year. About 932 jail inmates were held for immigration officials so far this year compared with 1,100 inmates in 2008.

Sebastian Lantos, a Tulsa Hispanic affairs advocate, said he wasn't sure what to make of the decrease in ICE holds. He did note, though, that the numbers may indicate 2008 was a "peak year" for arrests that coincided with the implementation of House Bill 1804.

For those arrested with ICE holds, operating a vehicle without a driver's license or with a suspended license was the most common complaint with 562 jailed. Of those jailed, 360 were held for immigration officials for driving without proof of liability insurance.

More than one-quarter of the total, or 276 of those jailed, were booked on driving-under-the-influence complaints.

Among violent offenses, the number jailed include 10 arrested on rape complaints, seven arrested on robbery complaints and three jailed on first-degree murder complaints.

All of those arrested by local agencies face a criminal complaint of some sort in addition to the ICE hold.

After the local charges are disposed of, ICE assumes jurisdiction of the inmate, Edwards said.

Garner said that while all municipal cases are dealt with on a case-by-case basis, most illegal immigrants plead guilty or no contest to any charges they face. They likely will be given credit for whatever time they've served in jail with the balance of time, fines and costs waived, Garner said.

"We're probably not going to get the money, so why hold them in jail at our expense," Garner said. "Then they become a federal prisoner at that time."

On a recent weekday, the Tulsa Jail housed 224 inmates with ICE holds, about half of whom were here facing local or state charges.

The remaining of those held on ICE holds are here as part of a contract Tulsa County has with federal officials to house inmates considered to be in federal custody, Edwards said.

"It puts some revenue back in to offset the costs of operating the jail," Edwards said.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article. ... eilp711777

The DUI don't surprise me. We had one tonight where the officer needed a Spanish translator which delayed testing and filling out the arrest form. It is busy and those translation calls take up extra time and take officers off other urgent calls. I must admit there is alot less requests for Creole speakers as they either speak English or have relatives or neighbors who do and help out.

I hope Lstudent reads this.

Self deportation = Move to Texas

Originally Posted by Floorguy

Self deportation = Move to Texas

You got that right... The population in Wal-Mart has increased.

Dixie

Originally Posted by Dixie

Originally Posted by Floorguy

Self deportation = Move to Texas

You got that right... The population in Wal-Mart has increased.

Dixie

They were smoked out of the Wal Mart closest to my place yesterday. There was a fire in the deli. I heard the call dispatched to police.

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