Thread: NJ: Morris sheriff: Stat shows jail not needed for illegals

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Morris sheriff: Stat shows jail not needed for illegals
One of 55 aliens arrested in Morristown in '08 unlawful

BY MINHAJ HASSAN
DAILY RECORD
Saturday, March 1, 2008


MORRISTOWN -- Town police have arrested and jailed 55 aliens since the first of the year, but only one turned out be in the country illegally.

Morris County Jail Warden Frank Corrente confirmed these figures late this week.

The statistic comes to light in the wake of county Sheriff Ed Rochford's report to the freeholders recommending that Morris County not provide its jail for detaining illegal immigrants arrested by Morristown local police.

Morristown Mayor Don Cresitello had sought the freeholders' support for his plan to deputize some town officers as immigration agents under a federal immigration program known as 287G.

Providing local jail space for those arrested under the program was a condition of federal approval.

Rochford's report said accommodating such prisoners or detainees would cost the county $1.5 million.

The freeholder's tacit acceptance of the report effectively blunts Cresitello's drive to implement 287 G in the town.

Mayor's view

In his unsuccessful letter to the county freeholders seeking support for 287G, Cresitello wrote, "287G is designed to enable state and local LEOs (law enforcement organizations) in the course of their normal duties, to question and detain individuals for potential removal from the United States if these individuals are identified as criminal illegal aliens."

As the procedure goes, the county would contact ICE and detain prisoners for 48 hours, after which ICE would pick up illegal aliens.

'It's working'

Rochford said the statistics on the number of illegals among arrested foreigners "tell me that the system works," without having local police deputized as immigration officers.

He said the sheriff's office has actively followed state Attorney General Anne Milgram's directive issued last summer, which calls on local police to report to ICE any individuals they arrest who are illegal aliens who committed such offenses as sexual assault, breaking and entering, or any other first-, second- or third-degree crime. The directive also targets illegal aliens driving under the influence.

Rochford said the directive specifically gives local authorities the power to check the immigration status of those who committed crimes without having to formally take on the 287G program.

The AG's plan

Asked about his stance on the issue, Rochford said: "I'm in favor of getting illegal criminal aliens off the street. I am following the attorney general's directive."

Corrente said the issue must ultimately be dealt with by the federal government.

"We are doing what we're obligated to do," he said about turning over criminal illegal aliens to ICE. "They can deputize all they want, it won't close the floodgates."


www.dailyrecord.com

I listen to a live police scanner here in Las Vegas over the net , all I here all day and night is no license, no insurance,no registration, no ssn, and no match on plates of cold plated. A good percentage of the people come back not matching the ID's they give. I wonder how many of these people go to jail, since our PD has all these hispanic work shops here which they advertise like crazy.