Thread: Irving jail sees sharp decline in illegal immigrants

Irving jail sees sharp decline in illegal immigrants
Media storm over deportations may have people steering clear of the Dallas suburb.
By Patrick McGee
MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS
Saturday, November 03, 2007

FORT WORTH — The number of illegal immigrants detained in the Irving jail has dropped by more than 40 percent since intense media attention and protests erupted in September over the city's collaboration with federal immigration authorities.

Illegal immigrants are probably staying out of Irving or keeping low profiles to avoid attention by police, experts and illegal immigrants said. Immigrant advocates said their demonstrations helped spread the word about the city's efforts.

The Dallas suburb screens everyone booked into its jail, and refers suspected illegal immigrants to the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. More than 1,700 suspected illegal immigrants have been turned over to ICE since Irving police started its Criminal Alien Program in September 2006.

An average difference of 67 people a week in September versus 39 a week in October were turned over to ICE or scheduled to be turned over.

In July and August, 256 and 253 respectively were turned over to federal officials.

Police officials declined to comment. Mayor Herbert Gears said the city's police policy has not changed.

"It looks as though people's behavior patterns have changed to some degree," Gears said. "Eventually, the numbers would naturally come down."

Mexican Consul General Enrique Hubbard Urrea said the numbers might also have dropped because police are more careful not to racially profile Hispanics.

"We had a lot of complaints at the beginning of what sounded like racial profiling. I don't have any way to prove that's what happened," he said. "But those kind of complaints have dropped."

Hubbard, who heads the Dallas-based consulate, raised the alarm about Irving last month when he noticed that many Mexican nationals were turning up in ICE's detention center. Consulate officials have the right to speak with their citizens held in American jails.

Hispanic activists organized anti-deportation protests, which were attended by hundreds of area residents. The controversy attracted heavy media coverage, including attention from national media outlets such as CNN and "Good Morning America."

Activist Carlos Quintanilla, said the demonstrations prompted people to be more careful to avoid arrest and forced police to back off some.

"I think the city of Irving has somewhat diminished its deportations," he said. "That doesn't mean we're happy with the deportations. We want zero deportations, and we want an end to the Criminal Alien Program. We will continue to keep pressuring until it's down to zero or a much smaller number that is acceptable."

Alejandro del Carmen, chairman of the Criminology Department at the University of Texas at Arlington, said Irving's policy has not controlled illegal immigration, but probably pushed it to other cities.

"It may very well be that a lot of Hispanics or particularly illegal aliens are avoiding entering, living or being associated with the city of Irving," he said.

Hubbard said he wants to issue identification cards to Mexicans, in hopes that they can avoid arrest for failure to identify oneself during traffic and other stops.

Gears has said the ID cards might help people identify themselves, but will not exempt them from any arrestable offense.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/n ... rants.html

We don't really care about the comments from the Mexican governement about our immigration policies so Sit and Spin Hubbard.

Alejandro del Carmen, chairman of the Criminology Department at the University of Texas at Arlington, said Irving's policy has not controlled illegal immigration, but probably pushed it to other cities.

I know for a fact that is what has happened.

Dixie

"I think the city of Irving has somewhat diminished its deportations," he said. "That doesn't mean we're happy with the deportations. We want zero deportations, and we want an end to the Criminal Alien Program. We will continue to keep pressuring until it's down to zero or a much smaller number that is acceptable."

This is so incredibly presumptuous. The highest law enforcement officer in a county is the sheriff who is elected by the people. Quintanilla arrogantly speaks as though he is an equal of the sheriff.

We have just got to take back our country.

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http://www.alipac.us/article2694.html

We want zero deportations, and we want an end to the Criminal Alien Program. We will continue to keep pressuring until it's down to zero or a much smaller number that is acceptable

Isn't it strange that someone can actually be able to say they want an end to indentifying and either deporting or prosecuting criminals? This program is not just about illegals - it's about illegal criminals who have been arrested for something.

Would we accept such talk from any other group?

"We want zero deportations, and we want an end to the Criminal Alien Program. We will continue to keep pressuring until it's down to zero or a much smaller number that is acceptable."

Here's what gas bag Hubbard SHOULD say: "We will continue to keep improving conditions for our citizens in Mexico so that they will want to stay and work here, thus, ending the need for deportations and criminal alien programs in the US."

What a jerk, wants to end "Criminal Alien Program" talk about stupid, they really want the U.S. to be another cess pool like Mexico.

I think all of the big mouth consulates should be put out of business in the U.S. and they can stuff that piece of crap ID of theirs.

I'll bet if FBI checked these guys out they will find them to be one of the biggest producers of fraudulant ID in the United States.