Thread: Special Assignment: Illegal in the Valley

http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=7424334

Illegal immigration is an issue that affects all of us, and perhaps no one feels the frustration as much as law enforcement.

Legally, there's not much they can do to combat this problem.

They say it's on the shoulders of the federal government. Until things improve nationally, they say it will only get worse locally.

"Local law enforcement has their hands tied. I feel like it's time for the folks in Washington to get off their butts and do something," said DeKalb County Sheriff Jimmy Harris.

When it comes to illegal immigration, unless local enforcement units receive special training from the federal government, they don't have the authority to arrest and deport someone simply for being in this country illegally.

"All we have to work with is if they commit a crime. Then we can deal with it. other than that, we don't have much," said Scottsboro Police Chief Ralph Dawe.

You heard it right. Local law enforcement has to let them go unless they've committed a crime besides being illegal.

"It's aggravating to know that you've got someone in this country illegal, but you can't do anything about it," said Sheriff Harris.

Albertville's Hispanic population has exploded in recent years.

Since April, the police department has turned over 176 suspected illegals aliens to ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).

Albertville Police Chief Benny Womack says they're not being proactive, just doing their job, a job that requires plenty of aspirin.

Some of the headaches include the language barrier, the cultural barrier, but perhaps more than anything, there's the problem with shared names, social security numbers and visas.

"Officers obviously have a very difficult time at times trying to identify the person with the right name. And many times we don't know who that individual truly is," said Chief Womack.

It's a consensus among other agencies.

"We have no idea who they are, where they're from, what they may have done in the past. There's no major data base that we have access to," said Chief Dawe.

But when asked the number one thing the feds could do to solve this problem or help, the answer was unified.

"Sealing the border off, that's what's got to take place," said Chief Womack.

"Until we plug that hole, it's going to keep flowing in," said Chief Dawe.

"You know, if you send 50 back a day, and 1000 comes across the border, then you haven't done anything," said Sheriff Harris.

Law enforcement is hopeful the federal government will step up regarding illegal immigration.

Congressman Bud Cramer is co-sponsoring a bill called the SAVE Act (Secure America with Verification and Enforcement).

Fingerprinting them would go a long way in eventually trapping them. Those that have been printed will forever be banned from re-entry in the future. No matter what names or documents they have or will have. Same of someone who "burned" off their fingerprints.

Quote in part:


"Sealing the border off, that's what's got to take place," said Chief Womack.

"Until we plug that hole, it's going to keep flowing in," said Chief Dawe.

"You know, if you send 50 back a day, and 1000 comes across the border, then you haven't done anything," said Sheriff Harris.

Law enforcement is hopeful the federal government will step up regarding illegal immigration."


AND HE ISN'T TALKING ABOUT AMNESTY.