Thread: OK-Immigration Process For Suspected Hit & Run Driver

Reported by: Abbie Alford
Email: aalford@fox23.com
Last Update: 9/01 10:29 pm




Roberto Alvelais-Torres (Tulsa County Jail)
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Immigration Customs Enforcement

A Tulsa woman hit and killed while on a morning bike ride and police say the driver sped off.

The suspected driver was arrested this afternoon where he faces charges in 74-year-old Beverly Duffield’s death.

Authorities are questioning the immigration status of 28-year-old Roberto Alvelais-Torres who is being held without bond.

FOX23’s Abbie Alford spoke to immigration authorities to explain what happens to a suspected illegal immigrant accused of a crime.

The Sergeant for the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office who is certified to oversee immigration issues says even if it is determined Torres is an illegal immigrant it doesn’t mean he’s automatically deported.

Suspected illegal immigrants are treated like any accused criminal, they’re arrested and jailed but they have stricter bond rules than an inmate who’s a documented U.S. citizen.

"If we have enough evidence to put a [immigration] detainer on them for immigration purposes they will no longer have access to be able to bond out on a state crime and it will force them to go before a judge and explain why they're not going to be a risk of flight,â€

"The immigration enforcement aspect of dealing with someone that is illegally in the United States is as complex or complicated as the IRS tax code," says Clark.

Why is that?