Thread: Officials re-evaluate illegals' plight

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ ... 1056/COL02

Last Updated: 7:29 am | Thursday, November 9, 2006
Officials re-evaluate illegals' plight
Butler weighs how election might affect county crackdown
BY JENNIFER BAKER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Some say the Democratic victories in the Ohio governor's race and in the U.S. House of Representatives will throw cold water on Butler County's campaign against illegal immigration.

Others aren't so sure.

For more than a year, Butler officials have urged state and federal lawmakers to get tougher on illegal immigration, be it cracking down on employers who hire illegal workers or finding ways to allow local law enforcement to arrest suspects rather than wait for understaffed federal agencies.

Butler County leaders estimate that more than 10,000 illegal immigrants are among its population of about 350,000 people.

"(The Democrats) will probably give them amnesty," says Butler County Auditor Kay Rogers, who in February proposed the state require business operators to sign pledges not to hire illegal immigrants.

Her proposal has gone nowhere, but the Republican continues to ask Butler business owners to voluntarily sign the pledges. "(Tuesday's election) will probably change the direction," she said. "I don't think people want people over here illegally. But I think they will just allow it to happen and not have them go through the formal process other people had to."

But Sheriff Rick Jones and Commissioner Mike Fox - perhaps the most vocal county critics against illegal immigration - said they hope new leadership will lead to new action.

"It can't be any worse," he said. "There hasn't been a whole helluva lot done other than talk with the Republicans, which is my party. Maybe something will actually be done now."

Jones has drawn national attention for billing the federal government more than $500,000 to cover costs of jailing illegal immigrants charged with local crimes.

Jones hasn't received any money yet, but officials say they expect to receive some reimbursement from the government.

"It is one of the most important issues of our generation, and I think voters punished Republicans for not dealing with it," Fox said.

In the Ohio governor's race, immigration wasn't a central issue.

In fact, the vision for Ohio posted on Governor-elect Ted Strickland's Web site doesn't specifically address illegal immigration, so it remains unclear where he stands.

Strickland was endorsed by several union groups, which often have argued that illegal immigrants are taking their jobs. However, as a congressman, Strickland was not considered a crusader against illegal immigrants.

In 2005 and 2006, Strickland's votes matched the position of the Federation of American Immigration Reform - an interest group that has long called for more border security - on three of 12 House bills.

This is on the same page as above but in a small collum to the right.

ICE training on the way?

In August, Sheriff Rick Jones asked for 10 deputies to undergo five weeks of training from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to enforce federal immigration laws.

If the federal agency approves the application, deputies would work under the supervision and direction of ICE, not Jones.

Nearly 150 officers in seven agencies from five states - Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida and North Carolina - have completed training since 2002, ICE officials have said. Another 12 law enforcement agencies nationwide are seeking training.

ICE officials could not predict Wednesday when - or if - the Butler County request would be approved.

Jones said he received a phone call about two weeks ago from a "high-ranking ICE official in Washington, D.C." who told him he is "in the mix." Jones declined to name the official. "I was told it was on the director's desk, everything has been approved and it's waiting for a signature."

Don't ya love how ICE jumps on requests for help?