Beach police will ask about immigration status in more arrests
By JON FRANK, The Virginian-Pilot
© May 1, 2007 | Last updated 4:31 PM May. 1

VIRGINIA BEACH -- Police Chief A.M. "Jake" Jacocks announced today that the Police Department is changing its policy on when to ask about someone's immigration status when an arrest is made.

Police have always asked about where someone was born. Now, if the birthplace is a foreign country, police will ask about the person's legal status.

In the past, only those arrested for felony crimes were asked whether they were in the country legally. Now, those arrested for DUI and public drunkenness – both misdemeanors - will be questioned about their immigration status, Jacocks said.

Those are the only two misdemeanor crimes that routinely will be affected by the policy change.

Jacocks had been meeting with citizens groups to discuss the policy since two teenagers were killed on March 30 when their car was struck from behind by an illegal immigrant with prior alcohol-related convictions in Hampton Roads.

The accident brought a firestorm of controversy to Virginia Beach, in particular from national television pundit Bill O'Reilly, who blamed Jacocks and Mayor Meyera E. Oberndorf for the deaths of the teenagers.

O'Reilly said the girls would not have been killed if the illegal immigrant, Alfredo Ramos, had been deported when charged with the earlier crimes.

Ramos is in jail awaiting trial on charges of aggravated involuntary manslaughter.

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