Thread: NC: Sheriffs line up 3,100 to deport

Sheriffs line up 3,100 to deport

Seven sheriff offices this year flagged the suspected immigration violators after their arrests on other charges

Benjamin Niolet, Staff Writer Comment on this story
RALEIGH - More than 3,100 people from seven counties were placed in deportation proceedings this year as a result of a program that allows sheriffs to enforce federal immigration laws.

The people were flagged for deportation proceedings after being taken to jail on charges ranging from a traffic violation to murder.

"It certainly documents that there are persons illegally in this state who are committing crimes," said Eddie Caldwell, executive vice president and general counsel for the N.C. Sheriffs' Association, which has received about $1.3 million in state money in the past two years to help sheriffs combat illegal immigration.

More than 1,200 of those who are now facing deportation were stopped for traffic violations other than impaired driving. Civil rights advocates say that arresting someone for speeding because of their questionable immigration status takes limited resources from law enforcement that could be used to fight serious crime. The practice also leaves people of color open to racial profiling.

"A full third of the people who are being deported have been charged with minor motor vehicle violations," said Rebecca Headen, a staff attorney with the ACLU of North Carolina. "There are a lot of leaps being made in the name of making this program sound good to the North Carolina public."

Caldwell presented the numbers to a legislative oversight committee Tuesday.

The counties participating in the program, known as 287(g) for the section of federal law that enabled it, are Alamance, Cabarrus, Cumberland, Gaston, Henderson, Mecklenburg and Wake. The Durham Police Department is also participating but was not included in the sheriffs' association survey.

Cumberland, Henderson and Wake counties and the Durham police joined the program this year. The seven county sheriff offices interviewed 4,511 people suspected of not being legal residents, according to the report Caldwell presented Tuesday. Of those, federal officials identified 3,359 violators. Of that number, federal officials have deportation proceedings pending against 3,182. The remaining 177 have immigration detainers on them, and federal officials are waiting for the resolution of the charges that brought them to the sheriffs' attention in the first place.

A state law that went into effect in January requires all sheriffs to ask about the immigration status of anyone arrested for a felony or impaired driving. Authorities must query the federal immigration agency about inmates suspected of not being legal residents.

"We will prioritize our cases based on those that pose the greatest threat, but that doesn't mean that individuals who are encountered will not be held accountable for their violations of the law," said Barbara Gonzalez, a spokeswoman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

But the seven counties surveyed by the sheriffs' association have deputies authorized and trained to begin deportation proceedings. They also have access to more federal resources, such as direct access to databases of wanted undocumented residents.

During the legislative committee meeting Tuesday, Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, a Carrboro Democrat, asked Caldwell whether racial profiling was occurring. Caldwell said that racial profiling should not be tolerated but that no one can say it hasn't happened.

"I can't make that commitment to you of all the thousands of people who are being interviewed across the state," he said.

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/crime_ ... 00777.html

More than 1,200 of those who are now facing deportation were stopped for traffic violations other than impaired driving. Civil rights advocates say that arresting someone for speeding because of their questionable immigration status takes limited resources from law enforcement that could be used to fight serious crime. The practice also leaves people of color open to racial profiling.

What a crock! If I get stopped for speeding I have to show my license, registration, proof of insurance; what do these people expect? An oh my! He/She MIGHT be illegal so I better NOT stop them? BULL! If I have to go thru license checkpoints, so should they.

A state law that went into effect in January requires all sheriffs to ask about the immigration status of anyone arrested for a felony or impaired driving. Authorities must query the federal immigration agency about inmates suspected of not being legal residents. <<<< All I can is is it's about time!