Friday, July 23, 2010

20,000 Illegal Immigrants Caught In Harris County (Houston, Tx.)



By Joe Gomez
Friday, July 23, 2010

As part of the 287G program, Harris County Sheriff's Deputies are required to question the legal status of everybody they apprehend. And as a result of that program Lt. Michael Lindsay says they've been taking in around 900 to 1,000 illegal immigrants per month… It’s something that's viewed as just a drop in the bucket when compared the total number of illegal immigrants suspected to be in Harris County,

"I always used the analogy just because fishing's good in a lake doesn't mean you catch all the fish."

Lindsay says deputies have placed holds on illegal immigrants everywhere from Mexico to Pakistan and Vietnam.

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FYI-Here's some information on 287G. Houston a self proclaimed santuary city, unilaterally declared so by then Mayor Bill White (D)-a panderer of the Hispanic vote, and now running for Governor of Texas, was brought to task for foot dragging on 287G. Houston police were arresting law breakers , identifying criminal illegals as they were booked into jail, and were notifying ICE of their whereabouts. White intially stopped this program until several recent murders of HPD officers at the hands of illegals.

What 287G does is exactly the same thing as Arizona SB1070. Where it is falling short is Obama has changed the priority of ICE on this issue.

Steve

Immigration and Nationality Act Section 287(g)
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Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) was made law in the United States in 1995 as a result of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA). Section 287(g) authorizes the Federal Government to enter into agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies, permitting designated officers to perform immigration law enforcement functions, pursuant to a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), provided that the local law enforcement officers receive appropriate training and function under the supervision of sworn U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. Under 287(g), ICE provides state and local law enforcement with the training and subsequent authorization to identify, process, and when appropriate, detain immigration offenders they encounter during their regular, daily law-enforcement activity.

The March 2010 arrest of undocumented student Jessica Colotl sparked an intense debate around immigration issues, with Colotl's supporters calling for an end to 287(g).[1] Colotl was arrested in Cobb County, Georgia, which has 287(g) legislation, and faces deportation.[1]

July 23, 2009
Federal officials announce changes to controversial 287g program


Frederick sheriff said new guidelines will not affect his office's participation
by Sherry Greenfield Staff Writer

Federal immigration authorities last week announced 12 changes to the controversial 287g program to focus efforts on deporting illegal immigrants who have committed major drug offenses or violent crimes.

Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins (R) said the changes will not affect his office's participation in the program.

Under the new guidelines, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have developed three levels of priority for deporting illegal immigrants who commit other crimes.

"Level 1" priority will go to those who have been arrested for or convicted of committing major drug offenses or violent crimes such as murder, manslaughter, rape, robbery or kidnapping.

"Level 2" priority will go to minor drug offenses and other crimes such as burglary, larceny, fraud and money laundering.

"Level 3" is all other offenses.

The point, said Matthew Chandler, assistant press secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, is to address concerns of racial profiling by some police agencies that participate in the program.

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano "issued a directive to put all border and immigration policies, including 287g, under review," Chandler said. "It was also an opportunity to address concerns raised about 287g."

The 287g program allows local law enforcement to train its officers to check on the immigration status of those they arrest. If officers identify someone who is in the country illegally, they notify federal authorities who can begin deportation proceedings. Critics of the program claim that officers are using it to deport people after minor infractions.

The Frederick County Sheriff's Office began participating in the program in April 2008, and immediately came under fire from immigration activists, including Casa of Maryland and the Frederick County Chapter of the NAACP.

Both groups charged that Frederick County deputies were targeting immigrants and using racial profiling to accuse Hispanics of minor violations that led to deportation.

Jenkins (R) has repeatedly denied those accusations and said his deputies merely arrest people who commit crimes and are a threat to county residents. He said that is the intent of the 287g program.

"We will still go out and make arrests," he said. "We are not targeting workplaces. We target offenders."

Since the Frederick County Sheriff's Office started the program in April 2008, deputies have arrested, detained and turned over for deportation proceedings 484 illegal immigrants, Jenkins said.

He could not provide a breakdown of the offenses those 484 people were accused of committing, but the data is part of a lawsuit filed by Casa of Maryland.

The group is seeking documents outlining the agreement between ICE and the Sheriff's Office, and all arrest records, traffic violations and records that reveal the racial breakdown of those detained and deported under 287g.

Casa officials welcome the changes, but caution they do not go far enough.

"The changes are going in the right direction, however these are cosmetic changes …" said Michelle Mendez, the group's staff attorney. "Despite them saying they are really focusing on violent offenders, we don't see how this will deter local law enforcement agencies from arresting people for minor traffic violations. At the end of the day, what we really would like to see is no more 287g, which we believe is a flawed program."

Jenkins said the new guidelines will not affect the program in Frederick County. "I have had a chance to look at them and basically nothing will really change for us, because that is how we are running the program," he said.

The 12 changes are outlined in a new agreement that police agencies must sign within 90 days.

With priority given to illegal immigrants that have committed violent crimes, the agreement now states that the purpose of 298g is "identifying and processing for removal criminal aliens who pose a threat to public safety or danger to the community."

The agreement also states that complaints about the program should be sent to the department's Office of Professional Responsibility or the Inspector General. In addition, the department's Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties will also take complaints. Previously, the agreement did not state where complaints should go.

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