Thread: NJ-Deportation fear hamper efforts to probe domestic abuse

Deportation fears in Morris County hamper efforts to probe domestic abuse
by Jamie Duffy and Tanya Drobness/The Star-Ledger
Monday March 09, 2009, 10:44 PM
Call it catch 287(g).

Morris County authorities are trying to reach out to Latino immigrants who are victims of domestic violence to protect them and prosecute their abusers. But a number of victims fear making complaints because they think they or the abuser on whom they are economically dependent will be deported.


Morris County Prosecutor Robert A. BianchiA federal program labeled 287(g) has only escalated mistrust among such illegal immigrants because it allows local police to become deputized immigration officers. In particular, Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello advocates the program and wants to implement it in his town. He has said the program could be put in place in about a year, further unnerving the illegal immigrant population.

The dilemma played out again this weekend, when county Prosecutor Robert A. Bianchi and a crew of detectives and investigators handed out fliers in Spanish to address the deportation fears. Despite Bianchi's efforts to emphasize his office would not seek to expell any informer who was not breaking the law, the conversation nearly always turned to 287(g).


Morristown Mayor Donald CresitelloAt St. Margaret's Church on Speedwell Avenue on Saturday, where the Morristown-based Jersey Battered Women's Service and the prosecutor's office unveiled the Spanish-language campaign, state Sen. Anthony Bucco (R-Morris), Morristown Police Chief Pete Demnitz and women's service executive director Patty Sly also insisted immigration status would not be considered when authorities investigate domestic violence complaints.

Tonight, Bianchi redoubled his efforts as he and the women's service took the ad campaign to a forum at Casa Puerto Rico, a social hall in Dover where the ad campaign was shown to about 90 people, including some victims seeking immediate help.

"I don't want there to be any confusion that this is a discussion about immigration," Bianchi said, moments before the ad campaign was discussed. "Victims of domestic violence will not be deported. End of story. And we have a zillion cases to prove it. We don't ask."

Francisco DeJesus, president of Dover Multiservices Agency, which provides notary public, translation and income tax services to non-English speaking Hispanics, said he often hears horror stories of domestic violence from women who are afraid to turn to authorities.

"They are hit by the husbands, mistreated and abused," DeJesus said. "I know it's a big problem."

Bianchi previously has pointed out illegal immigrants are key witnesses in crimes involving homicide and a variety of other offenses that are protected by his office.

Last year in Morris County, Sly said, two Hispanic women were killed in domestic violence attacks. With the county's Latino population growing, her Spanish-speaking staff has grown from three full-time people five years ago to eight. Also increasing is her agency's number of cases involving Hispanic clients, from single digits to about 20 percent in the past decade.

Bucco said his office has received calls for help in domestic violence cases and he is concerned there will be more as the bad economy stresses people trying to put food on the table.

"A little argument can turn into a domestic violence situation," he said.

Despite the assurances, Diana Mejia, a member of Wind of the Spirit, an immigration rights organization in Morristown, was not convinced 287(g) would not be a factor.

"This stops a woman from reporting domestic violence," Mejia said. "They don't want their partner, their boyfriend, whatever to be deported. If you have children, especially, the people share the expense of the house. If they lose that income, they're going to be really, really worried about that."

The mistrust goes back about two years, when Cresitello began his effort to deputize police officers as immigration officers, Mejia said.

"There is an environment of being afraid," she said. "People don't want to speak out about the way they feel. Honestly, we need to build again the community trust, and to build the community trust, we need to come back and have a relationship with the police and all the law enforcement -- and I don't know how that is going to happen because it's getting worse."

In 2000, the Morristown Latino population was around 27 percent, or about 5,000 people, Mejia said. Now, she added, people are moving out or being deported.

"They're going to be afraid even to live here. I know people have already moved out," said Carlos Caprioli, editor of Latino News, a Dover-based Spanish-language publication. Morristown immigrants are "waiting for the time for him (Cresitello) to leave office."

Cresitello tonight said he is being misunderstood.

"I wish people would stop distorting my position," he said at the forum, which he attended but did address publicly. Instead, he asked Bianchi to make it clear "that no one should have any fears," and that he "didn't want people confusing the issues."

With a Department of Justice grant awarded a year ago, the women's service is one of nine organizations nationally that has created a program in Spanish for domestic violence victims.

"An English or American message wouldn't necessarily resonate in the Latino community," Sly said.

Billboard ads in Morristown, Dover and Parsippany will say "Silence doesn't stop domestic violence. Talking does." They will be supplemented with fliers, brochures and ads in Latino News.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/0 ... .html#more

Sorry, but the old country values don't wash here. Females were not on earth for the sole amusement of men. The super-macho male, subservient female thing is what they grew up with, and most developed countries have made strides against medieval ideas. We don't need to spend public funds protecting illegals from each other. They can beat up on each other in their own countries with no consequences.
DEPORT THEM ALL!

"An English or American message wouldn't necessarily resonate in the Latino community," Sly said.

Well, guess what, egghead? They're IN America!! If they don't want to get their butts whipped by their old man, let 'em go home! I am completely against violence for women,but this takes the effen cake! The lawbreakers want the cops to play nicer???? Screw 'em! Get out! Go home and complain to your own cops and if you don't like the way things are where you came from, fix your savage nation, you whining idiots.

Posted by imh8inithere on 03/09/09 at 11:23PM
No matter how much propoganda you throw out there to support the whole seconding as immigration officers in Morris County, they are doing something good. Illegals are a strain on tax dollars in an already horrid economy. I would also receive no amnesty of such sorts in any of your countries. Leave America Please!

Inappropriate? Alert us. Post a commentPosted by gladileftnj on 03/09/09 at 11:38PM
"They're going to be afraid to even live here" GOOD!!, that's how it should be for someone breaking the law. Bravo to the Mayor, don't back down. Other towns should start doing the same before they are ruined too. Why is the Prosecutor pandering to illegals? He must be looking to run for office in the county and figures he'll get their vote.

And this is the way most comments are going at the link.