Thread: Want a Plea Deal??? Prove that your not an Illegal Immigrant

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6353961.html

Defendants may have to swear citizenship
DA Lykos aims to stop plea deals for those in country illegally

By BRIAN ROGERS and JAMES PINKERTON
Copyright 2009 HOUSTON CHRONICLE
April 1, 2009, 7:59PM

A Harris County District Attorney’s office proposal to bar illegal immigrants from receiving plea deals sparked questions Wednesday — including some from longtime prosecutors in the same office — about the legality and practicality of such a policy.

Four senior assistant district attorneys, speaking anonyÂ*mously to protect their Â*jobs, said Jim Leitner, District Attorney Pat Lykos’ first assistant, discussed the plan with about 50 prosecutors during a meeting last Friday. Under the plan, defendants in the country illegally will not be eligible for probation or deferred adjudication, including mandatory probations under state law. If the accused lies, he or she could be prosecuted for perjury.

The prosecutors also said plea papers are being redrafted for defendants to swear to their immigration status. If defendants refuse to sign, they will not be eligible for any plea bargains and their cases will be set for trial.

Lykos acknowledged that her office is examining policies surrounding illegal immigrants accused of committing crimes, but declined to comment on specifics.

One longtime prosecutor said the policy circumvents the intent of laws making probation the maximum punishment for some drug cases.

“I’m not a big fan of probation, but the law is the law, and I think we should follow the law,â€

It is questionable if due process should be involved in an immigration case.

So keep the illegals in jail, try them, then jail or deport. Right?

If you are in the country illegally and have commited no other infraction the Mexicans have you out of the country in two weeks.

“There’s a double standard being placed on people here without documents.

The double standard all over this nation is that illegal aliens are permitted to break laws and walk free while Americans pay the price for any laws they're caught breaking.