Thread: Trumbo yet to receive response from Mexico

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12/31/2006 5:07:00 AM Email this article • Print this article

Trumbo yet to receive response from Mexico
However, sheriff says main goal was to educate local citizens

By Samantha Bates
of the East Oregonian

After 11 months, Umatilla County Sheriff John Trumbo is still waiting for a response to a letter he sent to former Mexican President Vicente Fox, asking him to pay for illegal Mexican emigrants in the Umatilla County Jail.

On Feb. 9, Trumbo sent a letter to Fox asking him to foot the $318,843 bill, which was spent to house the 350 immigrants in the Umatilla County Jail during 2005.

But Trumbo isn't too disappointed, as a response from Mexico wasn't his main goal, he said.

"My whole intent was to educate the citizens of Umatilla County of how expensive it is to house criminals in the Umatilla County Jail," Trumbo said.

Trumbo said if the illegal immigrants were not in the jail, those beds could be used for other offenders who are, instead, put back on the street.

"We would be able to keep people now released," he said.

Though Trumbo received no response from Mexico, he did hear a response from the Mexican consulate general for Oregon, Fernando Sanchez.

"It's unfounded," Sanchez said in a previous article. "That's an expense that has to be covered by each government."

Trumbo's letter also roused discussions in Umatilla County and interviews with national news agencies.

Also, some local Hispanics spoke out against Trumbo's accusations, saying he was stereotyping.

"It seems like he's lumping all illegal immigrants and possibly all Hispanic immigrants into the same group with what he's doing," said Hugo Hernandez, of Hermiston, in a previous East Oregonian article.

Trumbo responded by saying he was not referring to all illegal immigrants, only the ones who commit crimes and end up in the jail.

"My issue is not with illegal immigrants," Trumbo said. "If they want to come in and be good citizens and don't break the law that's fine."

But for those who do break the law, he said, "they're a burden on taxes and someone ought to call them on it."

Trumbo also said he received a few calls and e-mails he responded to on a personal basis.

Along with criticism, Trumbo had interviews with news agencies such as CNN, Fox News and the L.A. Times. Trumbo said he also fielded interviews from as far away as Ohio and New York.

But as time wore on and no response came from Mexico, the frenzy ended. Trumbo said he stopped completing interviews and receiving calls in the summer.

"It just seems it was a hot issue," he said. "Then it just kind of died away."

But the issue is still prevalent in the jail. Trumbo said about the same amount of illegal immigrants are currently in the jail as were a year ago.

In a previous interview, Trumbo estimated the average number of illegal immigrants in the jail to be 24. The jail holds 135 beds total.

Gee, I wonder if the $200 million that "Arnold" just received
from Taxpayer X (who was given amnesty) might have
come from Mexico (politicians? or drug cartels?)

QUOTE :::::::::::::

Though Trumbo received no response from Mexico, he did hear a response from the Mexican consulate general for Oregon, Fernando Sanchez.
"It's unfounded," Sanchez said in a previous article. "That's an expense that has to be covered by each government."

Trumbo's letter also roused discussions in Umatilla County and interviews with national news agencies.
Also, some local Hispanics spoke out against Trumbo's accusations, saying he was stereotyping.

"It seems like he's lumping all illegal immigrants and possibly all Hispanic immigrants into the same group with what he's doing," said Hugo Hernandez, of Hermiston, in a previous East Oregonian article.

Trumbo responded by saying he was not referring to all illegal immigrants, only the ones who commit crimes and end up in the jail.
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Sanchez from the mexican cxonsulate needs to know that mexico has gone on recordsaying they do whatever it takes to take care of their people no matter what country they are in, shouldnt that include any bills that their citizens my have????

Local hispanics speaking out?? GEE i wonder why? how do you stereotype an illegal? its not a race