Thread: Letter I wrote to my state's Federal Attorny

May 12, 2006

United States Attorney, Paul Charlton

Two Renaissance Square

40 N. Central Ave., Suite 1200

Phoenix, AZ 85004-4408

Dear Attorney Charlton:

As an Arizona resident, I want to express my extreme disappointment for the choice your office made to not prosecute the Mexican illegal aliens you had in custody that admitted they set the recent destructive fire on National Forest land in the vicinity of Arivaca, Arizona.

I vividly recall at the time of the Mount Lemmon fire, all the publicity that was generated when searching for a suspect to charge for starting that fire, that this person would be facing prison time and huge fines. Typically, law enforcement publicizes threats of a large penalty as a deterrent to committing a crime as your office has done numerous times before. This time, you had your suspects in custody and despite their admittance of starting the two fires, you allowed them to be immediately deported to Mexico and you chose not to prosecute. They should have served time before being deported. Were they not prosecuted because they are Mexican citizens?

Your choice not to prosecute has certainly lent more credence to my belief that illegal aliens are exempt from the laws of this Country and State; a “privilege” usually not extended to most American citizens that commit crimes, unless they turn states evidence. Illegal aliens regularly break laws that American citizens must follow, such as environmental pollution, child abuse/neglect and numerous traffic violations (no insurance, overcrowded vehicle, speeding, seat belt violations) and all levels of Government turn the other cheek. From what I frequently hear, your office doesn’t even prosecute many Felonies, like people smuggling until someone has been caught after their third offence or more. I often hear the Government’s excuse that the amount of crime is overwhelming and there’s not enough prosecutors, therefore we can’t prosecute all cases. These excuses are hypocritical especially in light of this recent matter. This is like having new people flying planes into buildings but giving them the option to return home and “never come back” if we don’t prosecute you. If you tell the Mount Lemmon fire starter he faces prison and fines, you should also be telling the illegal alien who burns National Forest land that he faces prison and fines.

We are a nation of laws but they are seldom applied to the fullest penalty at which they are published. When we fail to apply them at all, to people of certain nationalities or residency status, merely because of that status, it is a slap in the face to Americans, especially the ones that have served time for the same violations.

As a citizen and taxpayer, if I can, by sharing my thoughts, have any influence on the choices you make, as this State’s Federally appointed top lawyer, I’d like you to know that exempting illegal aliens from charges while you threaten others with full application of the law is wrong. I appeal that you re-evaluate some cases that have gone unprosecuted like this fire case on Forest Service land, especially when you already have the subjects in custody and take into consideration the hard work law enforcement officers doing their jobs out in the field have done by putting their blood, sweat and tears into investigating , being in the trenches and making arrests for these various crimes.

Sincerely,

(mapwife)


Concerned resident

Tucson, AZ 85713

cc: Department of Justice, Washington D.C.

What a first-rate letter--very thoughtful, well-written, and making an
extremely necessary point!

You all can write letters like this too

MAPWIFE

1st.......wonderful letter!! thanx for sharing it.

2nd.......I didn't know that they weren't prosecuted??? I'm flabergasted yet again.

Do you know what would have happened if it had been one of us who set that fire?I am going to talk to my son-inn-law about this, he is with the state forestry in Ark. bet he didn't know this.