Thread: MD: Bartlett argues for broad application of local immigrati

Bartlett argues for broad application of local immigration enforcement program
Originally published October 31, 2009


By Meg Tully

Frederick 's representative in Congress is closely watching efforts to limit local jurisdictions who participate in a federal immigration enforcement program.

U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, a Republican, joined 53 other lawmakers in sending a letter to President Barack Obama this week, arguing local jurisdictions should have broad discretion in immigration enforcement.

The letter comes as the Obama administration has just completed revised, standardized agreements in all 57 jurisdictions that participate in the program, including the Frederick County Sheriff's Office.

Specifically, Bartlett said local law enforcement should be able to check immigration status of those arrested, including nonviolent offenders.

The new guidelines for the program do not restrict those types of offenses, but the administration has placed higher priority on applying immigration law against violent offenders.

"If you limit it to crimes of violence, this doesn't provide the deterrent that I believe the present program provides," he said.

Critics of the program think broad powers with limited supervision could lead to racial profiling, with police pursuing minor offenses just to check immigration status.

Of 284 criminal charges processed through Frederick County's program in 2008, nearly half were driving without a license, a 2008 sheriff's office report stated.

Bartlett said he does not consider driving without a license to be a minor offense. Jaywalking would be a better example of a minor offense, he said.

"As far as I know, our local sheriff's department is bending over backwards to not appear to be profiling," he said.

Bartlett said he wants to send the message that illegal immigrants will probably be able to stay in the country, unless they break the laws.

He thinks keeping the law broad will keep illegal immigrants from speeding more than 10 miles over the speed limit, driving without a license, driving while drunk, or getting involved in more serious crimes.

"This law, I think, has been very effective in encouraging the vast number of them to be exemplary residents in our country," Bartlett said.

The new agreements were intended to standardize the program across the country, and provide more federal oversight. They also contain language that encourages law enforcement to follow through on charges that initially brought about an arrest.

Representatives from the Department of Homeland Security visited Frederick on Thursday to deliver a revised, signed agreement between the sheriff and the federal government.

That agreement, known as 287(g) for the law that created the program, allows trained sheriff's deputies and correctional officers to check immigration status -- a power otherwise restricted to the federal government.

The Frederick News-Post has submitted a Public Information Act request for a copy of the revised agreement.

Sheriff Chuck Jenkins stated in a press release Friday that the new agreement will have "no impact" on his program.

That's because the office has had a supervisor from Immigration and Customs Enforcement assigned to it from the inception of the program, Jenkins said.

Capt. Tim Clarke, who has been tasked by the sheriff to implement the county's immigration enforcement program, said the agreement changed little in part because Frederick County only recently started participating in 287(g).

From the program's inception in April 2008 to mid-October of this year, the county sheriff's office has processed 500 criminal aliens, the press release stated.

Bartlett said he was glad to hear the new regulations will not change the sheriff's program. Frederick County is the only jurisdiction in Maryland that has signed a 287(g) agreement.

"Our county and our sheriff has kind of led the fight in this, and I think they're doing a very good job," Bartlett said.

www.fredericknewspost.com

Bartlett said he wants to send the message that illegal immigrants will probably be able to stay in the country, unless they break the laws.

Bartlett was doing well in my eyes, until I read this quote. He actually publicly stated he wants to send a message that illegal aliens will be able to stay in the country, unless they break the law. So complete denial about the laws they've already broken just being here.

Maybe this is a political move he views as necessary to get what he can, in terms of enforcement. Just like the pro-open borders crowd have got what they want with "a million paper cuts", maybe thats how we'll have to get back control of our borders and sovereignty.

It is 57 out of over 3,000 district in The United States only using 287g Program. WAKE UP EVERYONE!

Originally Posted by builditnow

Bartlett said he wants to send the message that illegal immigrants will probably be able to stay in the country, unless they break the laws.

Bartlett was doing well in my eyes, until I read this quote. He actually publicly stated he wants to send a message that illegal aliens will be able to stay in the country, unless they break the law. So complete denial about the laws they've already broken just being here.

Maybe this is a political move he views as necessary to get what he can, in terms of enforcement. Just like the pro-open borders crowd have got what they want with "a million paper cuts", maybe thats how we'll have to get back control of our borders and sovereignty.

Well that is simply the truth - we have no way to catch them unless they break some law. They are burrowed too deeply into many communities.

If we were to truly catch them all, which I advocated, we would have to have door-to-door roundups and ID check. ANd go to areas where illegals hang out - like day labor centers or depend on citizens notifying the polic.

The point is that all illegals are criminals it's simply by degree. Bartlett, just wants to go after the criminals at the higher end of the spectrum.
Personally, I think we should enfoce all of our immigration laws and get them out of our country using attrition and/or deportation.

Originally Posted by builditnow

Bartlett said he wants to send the message that illegal immigrants will probably be able to stay in the country, unless they break the laws.

Bartlett was doing well in my eyes, until I read this quote. He actually publicly stated he wants to send a message that illegal aliens will be able to stay in the country, unless they break the law. So complete denial about the laws they've already broken just being here.

Maybe this is a political move he views as necessary to get what he can, in terms of enforcement. Just like the pro-open borders crowd have got what they want with "a million paper cuts", maybe thats how we'll have to get back control of our borders and sovereignty.

I was dissapointed when I got to that quote too. This sends a message that illegals are wlecome unless they get into trouble. I swear this whole country is becoming a sanctuary for illegal aliens. Why not just enforce our immigration laws?

Bartlett said he wants to send the message that illegal immigrants will probably be able to stay in the country, unless they break the laws.

That is saying pretty much we now have open borders to all!!

I thing if they are not going to let local law enforcement help enforce all immigration laws and leave it totally to the Feds, then the feds need to start a special task force who does nothing but deport illegal aliens from the U.S....because all this is doing is sending a message to the world, if you can get in you are home safe!

We must drive home the fact we do not want OPEN BORDERS and if they come in illegally they can not STAY!

Well driving violations are breaking the law too and you can get picked up for them too.

But honestly how are we going to catch them all unless police go to areas like Hiring location where they hang out. The police are authorized to comb through neighborhoods, etc. to find them.

Yesterday, I got clogged in traffic and dove into a gas station and asked what was going on. Apparently there had been some problems at the strip mall across the road and the police had blocked the 8-lane highway looking for someone. The owner, originally from India, told me that, even with 287(g) the cops feel their hands are tied.
And, since the mall is mostly Latino business owners, little English is heard. There are young girls running around in hot pants, heavy makeup and six-inch heels, and the majority of women in stores are pregnant with a herd of youngsters in tow. The men drive expensive SUVs and often pull into the parking lot and one guy sitting in one vehicle and gets into another. At the grocery, the women use food stamps while their menfolk send remittances back to Latin America, paying cash from large wads.
The cops would love to walk in and check the IDs of every worker and shopper in the place, but they cannot. And IMO, there is every sort of crime going on, from prostitution to drug dealing to document fraud...

Originally Posted by vortex

Yesterday, I got clogged in traffic and dove into a gas station and asked what was going on. Apparently there had been some problems at the strip mall across the road and the police had blocked the 8-lane highway looking for someone. The owner, originally from India, told me that, even with 287(g) the cops feel their hands are tied.
And, since the mall is mostly Latino business owners, little English is heard. There are young girls running around in hot pants, heavy makeup and six-inch heels, and the majority of women in stores are pregnant with a herd of youngsters in tow. The men drive expensive SUVs and often pull into the parking lot and one guy sitting in one vehicle and gets into another. At the grocery, the women use food stamps while their menfolk send remittances back to Latin America, paying cash from large wads.
The cops would love to walk in and check the IDs of every worker and shopper in the place, but they cannot. And IMO, there is every sort of crime going on, from prostitution to drug dealing to document fraud...

Until something like that can be done we can't catch illegals except when they get picked up by the police for some law violation. We need the police to be able to go into areas like you described and exame IDs but until that is possible - Bartlett is right - unless you get into some trouble with the law the US won't catch you. We lack the political will to do searches in areas where they hang out.