ICE Goes on the Record About Mancia-Morales
By Amy Burns Wednesday, 17 June 2009


U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) went on the record this week with the Loudoun Independent, in an attempt to address lingering questions surrounding the Arnold Mancia—Morales case. Mancia-Morales, here illegally and now serving a life sentence following a conviction for rape, may have unknowingly exposed deficiencies in ICE and the system of deporting undocumented workers with criminal convictions.

The Loudoun Independent addressed the issues surrounding the Mancia-Morales and ICE in a series of articles, questioning whether he had truly been deported because of earlier convictions.

After a July 2006 arrest in Clarke County, according to Cori Bassett, ICE Public Affairs Officer at Winchester’s Northwestern Regional Adult Detention Center, Morales was referred to ICE’s Criminal Alien Program. According to records, U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) then placed a detainer on Mancia-Morales. A detainer is a writ issued by a law enforcement agency for the detention of an individual until that agency can lawfully take custody. A jail will routinely check its databases as well as those of other agencies for detainers from other agencies before releasing an inmate from its custody.

It was then, according to Bassett, that Morales was deported to his homeland of Honduras.

When asked if there was evidence that Mancia—Morales ever actually left the country, Bassett disclosed the process. She noted that ICE has two options to deport individuals from the United States. The agency, according to Bassett, can take advantage of commercial flights or access its own flight operations unit. In the Morales case, ICE would not disclose which option was used for Morales. Bassett noted, “There is a process to follow. We have extensive paperwork we have to file…â€