Thread: PA: 3 men ordered by judge to learn English deported

PA: 3 men ordered by judge to learn English deported

Tuesday, 08 April 2008
By L.A. TARONE
Staff writer

The three men ordered to learn English by Luzerne County Judge Peter Paul Olszewski two weeks ago have now been ordered out of the country.

Rafael Guzman-Mateo, Ricardo Dominguez and Luis Reyes are from the Dominican Republic, but are resident aliens who are being deported because of their criminal convictions.

A resident alien is a documented U.S. resident — but does not have citizenship. A resident alien’s income is subject to tax in the same manner as a citizen.

Agents from the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Milford, Pike County, picked up the men when they checked in with their parole officer Monday morning.

The bureau’s Criminal Alien Division took the men into custody, according to Mike Gilhooly, director of communications for ICE’s Northeast Region in Vermont. He said they were not illegals.

“They had status in the country,â€

"Police have identified all four as members of a street gang. They were arrested shortly after the assault and remanded to Luzerne County prison in lieu of posting bail.

On March 28, Olszewski sentenced Guzman-Mateo, Dominguez and Reyes to four to 24 months in jail for the assault. However, he added a caveat – he released them for serving the minimum sentence and ordered them to learn English. "

I don't understand why ICE wasn't contacted immediately to have them deported. They are dangerous criminal gang members in our country illegally and the judge releases them???! It's ridiculous that we have no consistency in our courts when dealing with illegal aliens.

I'm also concerned that they are deported but it is so easy for them to sneak right back over here.

It's always nice to see a little common sense practiced. I must admit, ICE is not where they should be on the deportation of illegals, however, they have improved over the last year. Let's keep the pressure on them and our federal government!

Good luck with your English lessons... in the Dominican Republic!

ICE is not always consistent, but they got it right this time! Good job ICE!

Great news...these guys should never have been released on bail in the first place nor given such a light sentence for assault, batter and armed robbery. I'm glad that the liberal "just learn to speak English" Judge was overruled by the actions of ICE...and now these criminal alien gang members can work their charm in the Dom. Republic.

I don't understand how gang members were given legal status. Does that mean they had green cards?

yes they had green cards...how they obtained them is another story. Probably brought here with parents legally ...but even a naturalized citizen can have their citizenship revoked if they commit a "deportable offense/crime". I'm glad ICE got a hold of them.....they need to sweep more jails for illegal aliens and criminal resident aliens and deport them all.

Great news! Common Sense rules the day at least in this case!