Thread: Illegal Immigrants Allowed To Stay In U.S. After Convictions

Click2Houston.com
Related To Story

Video: Investigation: Illegal Immigrants Allowed To Stay In U.S. After Convictions

Illegal Immigrants Not Deported After Convictions

POSTED: 1:54 pm CDT May 8, 2007
UPDATED: 7:27 am CDT May 9, 2007

HOUSTON -- Note: The following story is a verbatim transcript of an Investigators story that aired on Tuesday, May 8, 2007, on KPRC Local 2 at 10 p.m.

Local 2 investigates murders, robberies -- violence that never had to happen. But they did at the hands of criminal illegal immigrants.

And, tonight, investigative reporter Amy Davis is here to show why these criminals are still in our neighborhoods and communities.

You might suspect when illegal immigrants are caught committing violent crimes, it means automatic deportation.

That's simply not the case. We dug through months of arrest records and immigration documents to find criminal illegal immigrants can get three, four and even six strikes, and still be allowed in our country.

You've seen these immigration rallies -- hundreds of marchers. But among these faces, you won't likely find Jimmy Ascencio, convicted of assault, evading arrest, DWI and robbery.

The chance is also slim you'll see Gonzalo Roldan, convicted of theft, burglary, auto theft, and manufacturing and delivering cocaine.

Both men were arrested, and according to the Harris County Sheriff's Department -- both admitted they are in the U.S. illegally.

But we discovered both are now out of jail and likely somewhere in the Houston area.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement holds illegal criminals at this facility on Greens Road.

It's where we watched three illegal aliens walk away, papers in hand, back into your community.

We found men charged with murder, convicted drug dealers and thieves. But, believe it or not, this is the face that frightens Grace Garcia.

"He picked up the gun, aimed it straight at my daughter and killed her," she said.

Mandi Coronado was 14 years old when her teenaged killer shot her at this apartment complex.

El Salvador national Moises Flores got five years in a juvenile detention facility and a deportation order upon his release.

But when five years passed, Garcia got a disturbing phone call.

"Immigration decided that they wouldn't pick him up," she said.

Crime victims' advocate Andy Kahan says Immigration and Customs Enforcement told him the same.

"They just flat out said that they had no interest or intention of ever deporting him," he said.

"My daughter is no longer here anymore because of him but he can be here. I just can't -- I can't deal with that," Garcia said.

After several phone calls to the Department of Homeland Security from Local 2 Investigates and Kahan, Flores was detained and scheduled to be deported.

But, this case is only the beginning of our story.

"Yeah, we were able to get this one. But how many others out there have fallen through the cracks, God knows?" Kahan said.

We know. From Jan. 1 through the end of March, 979 suspects booked into the Harris County Jail voluntarily told deputies they are illegal immigrants.

But records we obtained show ICE has only made efforts to deport 195 of those suspects in the same time period -- just 20 percent.

"What happens if somebody gets put back in society that's dangerous?" said Kris Moore, a Harris County assistant district attorney.

That "what if" has already happened.

In April, Ignacio Gutierrez-Gomez slammed his truck into this car on the Eastex Freeway, killing a mother and her pregnant daughter.

But it wasn't the illegal immigrant's first drunk driving offense. He'd already been arrested three times in the last five years for DWI.

We wanted to talk with Immigration and Customs Enforcement about what we found. Since February, we sent 25 e-mails requesting an on-camera interview. The agency's spokesperson declined each time.

She did send these statements:

"Each case is complex and each case is viewed individually."

"If you have cases you feel perhaps need to be reviewed, please allow ICE the opportunity to review the cases. We will make every effort to make sure these criminal aliens are not released into the community."

But they're already out.

And we found many of the convicts have moved from the addresses they gave when booked into the jail.

"I don't know what holds them up from acting, but they can't seem to act in a timely manner in most cases," Moore said.

Assistant District Attorney Chris Moore has prosecuted criminals in Harris County for 30 years but says her efforts to work with ICE getting illegal convicts deported is more than frustrating.

"Cause I've tried to call them, and you can't even get automated answering. You can't get through, period," she said.

"I was born and raised here. Mandi was born and raised here," Garcia said.

And with her daughter's killer deported, Garcia hopes Mandi can finally rest here.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement started a new program with Harris County last October where ICE agents work in the jail to identity illegal immigrants as they are booked in.

ICE says they do not have agents there 24 hours a day. But in the future, they hope to be able to keep agents there around the clock.

"Amy, what are the most common crimes landing illegal immigrants in the Harris County jail?" a KPRC anchor asked.

"We found most of the suspects, about 17 percent, have three or more crimes on their records already when they are booked into the jail. But the single most frequent crime we saw over and over in these arrest records -- drinking and driving," Davis answered.

http://www.click2houston.com/investigat ... etail.html

this is disgusting

These officials are the same folks that will enforce the rules of any comprehensive immigration bill the congress may choose to pass. God help us!

Good Lord!!! Outrageous!!!

From the interview of Bush by CBS anchor Katie Couric:

COURIC: When you think about the threats out there, what is your biggest fear?

BUSH: Well – my biggest fear is somebody will come in and slip in this country and kill Americans. And I can't tell you how.

Well, Mr Bushwad, we can tell you how. And we can show you how every single day of the week. And thanks to your moronic leadership, or lack thereof, we have innocent Americans killed, simply because your lame-ass immigrations enforcement bureaucrats refuse to deport known killers, rapist, robbers, pedophiles, drug dealers, DUI and hit & run killers, etc. Why not grow a spine and live up to your oath of office and start protecting Americans from what you claim is your 'biggest fear'.

You ignorant, treasonous, illegal alien loving scumbag of a corprate stooge. How many innocent Americans have to die before you wake up. How many murderers will you allow to be released back into the country before you decide to do something?. Because we know you don't really care.

If you don't care about all the poor American men and women who die everyday in Iraq and Afghanistan, we know you sure as hell don't give a damn about those innocent Americans who die here because of your traitorous policy of letting illegals commit crime after crime and never getting deported. Maybe if one of your family members were to get killed by an illegal alien thug murderer, you might wake up and take notice, you obviously haven't got a clue now.

Listen up George Bush! Here's just a few illegal aliens that "sliped" through and hurt Americans!

23 MAR 2003: Annie Cumpston, 6, was killed in a hit-and-run accident in downtown Baltimore by a truck driven by illegal alien Guillermo Diaz when it veered into the crosswalk as she and her family were leaving the circus. When Diaz was arrested, he did not have a driver’s license, the tags on the truck were expired and his blood-alcohol level was 0.07 percent. Diaz had been in the United States illegally for four years doing construction work. He received 10 years in prison but is eligible for parole in just two years. This is an example of a horrific crime where all the easy to find references are gone but you can find the story at archived at CRIME VICTIMS OF ILLEGAL ALIENS.

FEB 2003: The Marti family is pictured here during a happy moment that no longer exists. Sean, just 24 years old, and his daughter Sage, 5 months old, were killed by a drunk illegal alien who was driving the wrong way on Highway 84 in Idaho. Natalie Marti was in a coma for two weeks after the head-on crash, spent two months in the hospital, and has suffered brain damage from a traumatic head wound. This incident was reported in the Idaho Press-Tribune.

4 SEP 2002: Tricia Ann Taylor, 17, and of Clarkston, MI, and Noah Menard, 20, of Pontiac, MI were walking to Menard’s car after a concert Saturday at the Arts, Beats and Eats festival when they were struck by illegal alien Jose Carcamo, who was drag racing. Carcamo, who had 17 previous violations since 1995, hit the two pedestrians, going approximately 50 mph to 70 mph on a street posted for 25 mph. . Taylor was severely injured after being pinned against the exterior of a building. She had both her legs amputated as a result. Menard’s skull and collarbone were fractured, his elbow mangled, requiring surgery and the insertion of eight pins.

29 JUL 2000: Christopher Shackleford, 19, Julieanne Pascoe, 18, and Kelli Bourgeois, 18, were all killed in Marietta, Georgia, by a drunk, illegal alien, Sergio Montelongo Sanchez. A fourth teen, Matthew Hunt, was permanently handicapped as a result of the crash. Sanchez allegedly had10 to 15 beers that night. He staggered out of the bar and into his large Lincoln Continental around 1 a.m. when he swerved from his own lane and crossed into oncoming traffic where he struck the Civic the four teens were riding in. Sanchez did not have a valid driver’s license or insurance but did have a blood alcohol level at twice the legal limit. cindyshackleford@aol.com

22 APR 2007: Nicole Allen, 21, .was killed in Maryland Heights in the St Louis area, by drunk driving, illegal alien Pedro Santos, when his Lincoln Town Car slammed into the back of the Acura that Allen was riding in. The Acura’s driver, Larry Lane, 24, suffered minor injuries. His front-seat passenger, Charles Miller, 28, had two cracked vertebrae. Santos was arrested about three hours after the crash, hiding in woods not far from the scene. Allen graduated in 2004 from Parkway North High School. She worked as a server at Red Robin restaurant and was a junior at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, studying photography, graphic design and art history.. This story was reported by Kim Bell in the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH in Drunk driving is suspected in crash that killed woman

19 APR 2007: Joshua Evans, 15, was serious injured by an illegal alien in a hit and run accident in Springville, UT. The younger brother of the driver had been previously arrested for driving under the influence in an unrelated incident early that day. The driver, the older brother, was arrested without incident and confessed to hitting Evans and attempting to torch the car. He was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and obstruction of justice. The incident was reported by Jeremy Twitchell of the Deseret Morning News in 2 men arrested in hit-and-run.

16 APR 2007: A sport utility vehicle believed to be carrying illegal immigrants rolled several times Monday in southeastern Utah’s San Juan County, killing eight men and injuring seven others. The Chevy Suburban carrying 15 people rolled on U.S. 191 when the driver tried to avoid an animal in the remote Four Corners area of Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico. The injured were taken to hospitals in Utah, New Mexico and Colorado. One of the injured was in critical condition. The driver fled the scene but was found hiding in the desert about two miles away. He was identified as a 30-year-old from Guatemala, who was arrested and transported to the Utah County jail on immigration violations unrelated to the crash One of the injured was in critical condition. Federal immigration agents were investigating it as a possible case of human trafficking. Story reported by KVOA, Tucson in Eight dead in SUV rollover near Arizona-Utah border

14 APR 2007: Thomas Icenogle, 51, was killed when his motor cycle was hit by an SUV being driven by 19-year-old Ericel Garcia of San Marcos Garcia was booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, felony hit-and-run and driving without a license.

12 APR 2007: Kent Boone, 33 and a father of five, was killed in Solana, CA by a drunk driving, illegal alien, Isidro Jose Pena, who was allegedly traveling 90 miles per hour on March 31 when he crossed a double yellow line and hit Boone. Pena had four previous drunken driving convictions, and also had two pounds of crystal methamphetamine in his truck, according to California Highway Patrol officers who later checked Pena’s home and found even more drugs. The CHP says that Pena has four prior DUI convictions, as well as a drug conviction. Pena has been convicted six times of driving without a license. Pena allegedly has some of his prior convictions under other names. "He was supposed to have been deported (in 2005)," said Solano CHP spokesman Willie Williford. "Out investigation shows he never was." Williford could not say why or how Pena avoided deportation. In 2003 and 2005, Pena was convicted for DUI in Contra Costa County – and for a felony narcotics charge in the same county in 2005. That same year, he was convicted of a DUI in neighboring Solano County – the county where he killed Boone last month.

7 APR 2007, a bicyclist was in critical condition Saturday night after being struck in a hit-and-run crash by an unlicensed driver, RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA authorities said. The 58-year-old bicyclist from Coto de Caza was riding in a bicycle lane north on Antonio Parkway near Valeroso shortly after 3 p.m. when a vehicle heading the same direction veered into the lane and struck Augustin Hernandez Perez, 31, got out of the vehicle and ran away. Deputies caught him about a mile away and he was arrested on suspicion of felony hit-and-run. Perez had no driver’s license or other identification and spoke no English, and authorities were trying to determine his immigration status. This story was reported by KCAL.

5 APR 2007: "A Christmas Story" director Bob Clark and his 22 year old son were killed by drunk driving illegal alien Hector Velazquez-Nava who steered his sport utility vehicle into the wrong lane of Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades striking Clark’s sedan head-on. Authorities said Velazquez-Nava was driving without a license and the LA Times reported that Velazquez-Nava blood alcohol content was three times the legal limit.

1 APR 2007: Leoner Perez, 21, was killed in Florida when a drunk driving illegal alien Urgana DeNova turned into the path of two other cars. Perez died at the scene. DeNova treid to get away with a friend in another truck, but both were eventually found and arrested. Police reported that DeNova was still legally drunk six hours following the crash.

31 MAR 2007: Tessa Tranchant, 16, and Allison Kunhardt, 17, were killed in Virginia Beach when a car driven by drunk driving illegal alien Alfredo Ramos, plowed into the rear of their vehicle as they waited for a green light at an intersection. Although girls were wearing seat belts, one died at the scene and the other at the hospital after having to be cut out of the car. Ramos had previously been convicted, twice, on DUIs. This was the tragedy that set Bill O’Rielly off. See the video Geraldo vs. O’Reilly.

30 MAR 2007: Andrew Stear, 21, a Missouri college student was killed when illegal alien Hugo Rodriguez Colindrez, most likely driving drunk, hit him driving a stolen van as he crossed a popular strip in Panama City Beach. Colindrez kept driving after the crash and stopped only after a motorist who witnessed the accident forced him to the side of the road. This incident was reported by Susan Weich in the St Louis Post dispatch in Student on vacation killed in hit-and-run.

28 MAR 2007: Maria Ortiz, and her 18-year-old daughter, Vanessa, who was five months pregnant, were killed in Georgia by illegal alien Ignacio Gomez-Gutierrez, who had been previously convicted three times for drunken driving in Harris County, and served time in jail in 2002, 2004 and 2005. Gomez-Gutierrez’s blood alcohol was about three times the legal limit. Police say he was speeding on the Eastex Freeway about 3:40 p.m. Sunday when his pickup slammed into the back of a 1998 Buick belonging to the Ortiz family. The two women were killed on impact. Gomez-Gutierrez did not stop at the accident scene, authorities said, but was captured farther down the road after being struck by another vehicle when he fled from his disabled car. Gomez-Gutierrez, who wasn’t injured in the crash, kept running until a bystander pinned him down about a mile east of the accident, authorities said. This story was originally reported by Cindy Horswell in the Houston Chronicle.

5 MAR 2007: Jerry Dwane Braswell, 35,and his 9-year-old son, Jerry Dwane Braswell Jr., were killed Angier, N.C. in Febuary 2007, by illegal alien Luciano Tellez who collided with a truck after running a stop sign. The truck, a tractor running without a trailer, overturned and came to a rest on the Braswells pickup in a ditch. Both the father and son were killed when leaking diesel fuel ignited. Tellez was wanted by police for a probation violation stemming from a 2005 drunken driving conviction in Wake County. He was also convicted of drunken driving in Wake County in 2002. Tellez was driving without a license.

7 FEB 2007: Leeanna Newman, 20 year old and 8 months pregnant, was killed by a drunk driving illegal alien, Rigo Martinez, who crossed the center line and hit her car head on. Leanna had just sent out invitations for a baby shower. Kannapolis police confirm Martinez was involved in two hit and runs moments before the fatal accident. They said there was only about 1.5 miles between the first hit and run and the second. This story was originally reported by WCNC reporters Melissa Martinand Mark Boone.

28 JAN 2007: Gladys Reyes,11, of Hastings MN, was dragged nearly 500 yards after illegal alien Mauricio Sanchez struck her with his van, leaving her severely injured. Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom said he will ask for a three-year prison sentence. “We believe this man showed particular cruelty, and his attempt to flee after striking the young girl resulted in life-threatening and permanent debilitating injuries,â€

Move to new section for Americans killed by illegals.