The Obama administration has ordered a Nashville, Tenn., sheriff to release some illegal immigrants swept up on minor charges. The move has drawn criticism from enforcement advocates and concerns of a return to the widely criticized "catch and release" policy.
The Christian Science Monitor reports that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement directed the Nashville sheriff to “release on recognizance” some illegal immigrants arrested on such charges as fishing without a license. It appears the Nashville sheriff was the only one issued the directive. But it could affect at lease some of the 66 U.S. law enforcement jurisdictions that are part of a controversial 287(g) program, which deputizes local law enforcement to act as de facto immigration agents.
The 287(g) program has been criticized by immigrant-rights groups as unfair and inhumane. A congressional report released in March criticized the $40 million federal program, saying it is rounding up minor offenders instead of the serious criminals it was designed to nab.
The program is operating in eight N.C. jails, including Mecklenburg, Cabarrus and Gaston counties.
According to a report by the Mecklenburg sheriff, which covered arrests through April 5, more than 6,300 individuals have been placed into deportation proceedings under the program started in 2006. Of those, 609 were arrested on felonies. More than 1,800 were arrested on traffic charges; another 1,523 were charged with DWI.
In May, we reported on enforcement advocates’ concerns that new federal immigration guidelines focusing on employers may signal a return to a de facto catch- and-release policy that allowed captured illegal immigrants to be released while they await a court date. Many never showed up.
The Federation for American Immigration Reform, which advocates stronger enforcement, said new U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement guidelines raises questions whether illegal immigrants caught at worksites will be released. FAIR cited a line in the federal memo that states:
ICE will continue to arrest and process for removal any illegal workers who are found in the course of these worksite enforcement actions in a manner consistent with immigration law and DHS priorities.
FAIR contends that “processing for removal” could mean releasing illegal immigrants and giving them a notice to appear in court on a certain day to begin removal proceedings.
Matt Chandler, a Department of Homeland Security spokesman, told the Monitor there has been no policy change.
“ICE always puts a priority on criminal aliens who pose a national security threat,” he said. “We are taking a deep, hard look at the program.”
Releasing minor offenders could significantly impact 287(g), experts say. Pre-2006 studies showed that about 85 percent of illegal immigrants released on bond did not show up for their court date.
Photo: T. Ortega GAINES-ogaines@charlotteobserver.com
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteAs one famous American General said "Nuts!"
ReplyDelete1,523 were charged with DWI in Mecklenburg county?!?!?!?! Are you kidding me.
ReplyDeleteThis is a perfect example of how politics (getting the Latino vote) has taken precedence over the enforcement of our laws. Don't our elected officials and law enforcement promise to serve the citizens of this country? Our country is being overrun by illegal immigrants! What's it going to take for us to get mad enough to take our country back???
ReplyDeleteHere are some facts that may be interesting for anyone reading this article. The discussion point that "illegal’s are only here doing the jobs that most Americans won’t do has a couple of serious flaws to the logic that created that point in the first place. Follow the bouncing ball from point to point.
ReplyDelete1a. "A 1997 study by the American Academy of Sciences, (not exactly a conservative organization btw.), found that the cheap labor of illegal immigrants and poor immigrants caused a 44% decrease in wages among the poorest Americans from 1980 to 1994."
1b. “A study in the 1990s by Social Science Quarterly, (also not exactly a conservative minded organization), found that for each 1 percent increase in the proportion of immigrant workers without a high school education in any job category, wages for Americans performing that work fell 7 percent.
2. “Illegal aliens are poor not because of their legal status but because of their lack of education and consequent inability to earn better wages. For the past quarter century, real wages for American workers without a high school education have declined 22 percent. The decline among those with a high school education but no higher education was 11 percent.” (Quote taken from an article in the NY Times – once again, not exactly a conservative type of publication)
From the results of these studies, it would not be a leap of logic to conclude that the social economical group most affected would be the working poor here in the USA. I do not want to make this a racial charged discussion, but the historic facts say that the poorest Americans would include a disproportional number of individuals with Native American and African American backgrounds.
Let’s look a bit deeper if you don’t mind.
3. Based on March 2008 data collected by the Census Bureau, the Center (Pew Research Center) estimates that unauthorized immigrants are 4% of the nation's population and account for 5.4% of its workforce.
3a. The Pew Hispanic Center reported in October 2008 that the illegal population stood at 11.9 million
(http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.php?ReportID=94).
3b. An earlier Pew study found that 65 percent of the illegal population is employed in the United States (http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.php?ReportID=61). The estimate that 7.7 million illegal aliens held U.S. jobs in 2008 assumes the same employment rate.
Now we are getting somewhere. With current unemployment rates reaching well into double digit ranges, how can we justify the “don’t look, don’t ask, don’t tell” policies that have become the de-facto enforcement approach to illegal immigration? If 5.4% of the workforce is currently made up of illegal aliens and we have unemployment at 11 % (plus) it’s time to look out for our own citizens first.
It’s time to create an environment that is so legally uncomfortable for business to hire illegal aliens and for illegal aliens to apply for a job that it forces everyone to work and play on a level playing field. Then, and only then, will the poor and under educated citizens of the USA have a chance to stabilize their family life, living conditions and social economic status and standing in society.
The continued practice of hiring illegal aliens amounts to nothing less than indentured servitude in the 21st century, of those illegal aliens that are hired and of the citizens that are displaced. Allowing the practice to continue or suggesting that a “path to citizenship” is the answer should be called for what it is … the endorsement of modern day slavery.
Nice Essay Anonymous. I would much rather have people like Patrick Burris locked up for longer, than having a bunch of mexicans in jail for fishing with out a license. With the jail shortages we have in this country, we need to keep the dangerous criminals locked up and not but people in jail for BS charges.
ReplyDelete"The Christian Science Monitor reports that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement directed the Nashville sheriff to “release on recognizance” some illegal immigrants arrested on such charges as fishing without a license".....That makes sense; jail and feed someone everyday for not having a fishing license.....
ReplyDeleteWow it is so refreshing to see YOU post something OTHER THAN endorsing illegal invaders. Oh wait, you DIDN'T! YOU should be deported for the illegal supporting scum that you are. The illegal invaders are CRIMINALS and the Obama administration is WRONG to order any of the criminals released. When caught send them back to their country of origin. If they return EXECUTE them ont he spot-no questions asked. We do no have the jobs tokeep them here and they ARE hurting ALL of us citizens.
ReplyDeleteThis is terrible. Next Obama will order rapists and murders released. Guess if they are they right color.
ReplyDeleteThis should be war. But papers like the Charlotte Observer loves illegals. Remember Mary at CO. She said illegal immigration is just a "civil infraction". Bull. An illegal killed a cop in Houston a week ago. We need another revolution. And kick foreign scum out!!
I suggest that President Obama go back and read the US Constitution, especially the part the articulates and limits the powers of the Executive Branch.
ReplyDeleteThis is unwarrented interference in a local jurisdiction. This President needs to be a bit more focused on the REAL priorities of the country. The economy, North Korea and Iran.
It will get worse.
ReplyDeleteNice going Obama, he's for change alright. He's ordering the release of these illegals so that they can go right back out and commit more crimes - nice going, that's all we need - what a dummy
ReplyDeleteHow about having Barry O go to the jail and release them himself.
ReplyDeleteObongo is nuts, we need to put him in jail, he's ruining this country.
ReplyDeleteThe only way they can be be deported is to be arrested on charges and find out they are illegal and then begin the deportation process. Good Job Obama. Let them run the USA.
ReplyDeleteWith Al Franklin being sworn the oath of office, which for a majority in either party the oath means absolutely nothing? Be assured the Democratic Libertarian leadership has a perfect storm and with a 60 member majority the other side cannot filibuster any new laws to being enacted. My major concern is an illegal immigrant the--OVERPOPULATION--invasion. Unless--THE AMERICAN PEOPLE--don't exert pressure on their Senators, Representatives, they are--SURE--to pass another AMNESTY. With no restraints it means 13 to 20 million plus, foreign workers and their large families will get a path to citizenship, even though they broke our laws. In stark addition to this, millions more will appear in America after sweeping across our border, after being advised that AMNESTY is going to be enacted.
ReplyDeleteOVERPOPULATION--will over the next 40 years propel the amount of people, living, working here to around 430 million? That's federal government statistics? Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi brought upon Americans a behemoth of a problem by trying to stall, kill or underfund E-Verify
Our country is already being swamped by foreign nations who cannot speak or write English and unable to comprehend road warning signs. Amongst the impoverished, the sick and others carry contagious diseases, comes the gang members, rapists, murders and other criminal elements. Those caught have already compromised our overcrowded penal system. Each day there is carnage on the highways to American family members. The Heritage foundation has already stated that the costs could reach $2.5 TRILLION DOLLARS, just in retirement benefits. I don't think their are any words to describe the financial impact on taxpayers, as these poor, unschooled and large extended families cannot find work, in a near 11.0 percent jobless rate for AMERICANS. There is huge unknown financial amount of money to support the illegal worker, followed by a wife and then--CHAIN MIGRATION--of sisters, brothers who are sure to come?
There is a danger to our economy so unbelievable, it cannot be emphasized enough--THAT THE PUBLIC MUST PRESSURE THEIR RELUCTANT PUBLIC SERVANTS IN WASHINGTON--NOT TO ALLOW ANY KIND OF AMNESTY? The full weight of this massive expenditure will fall on the U.S. TAXPAYER--NOT THE PARASITE EMPLOYER WHO DOES THE HIRING? A prime example at this time is payments of illegal alien households around the country. Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation calculated the average low-skilled immigrant household received $30,160 in direct benefits, education, medical care and other services from all levels of government in 2004. Those same low-skilled immigrant households paid only $10,573 in taxes that year, meaning the average low-skill household had a fiscal deficit of $19,588.
The ultimate question is can Americans afford to support all these low income nationals, while the nations economy is stagnant? With millions of the US population searching for a job, with a slender possibility of passing Universal health care? We must have a uniform immigration enforcement program, that our politicians have cowardly moved away from, except for a brave few.
We need immediate transformation of E-Verification to a permanent, none voluntary for--ALL--workers, within the United States. Whether you have five employees or 50.000 everybody must be verified as legal. IT SHOULD START WITH EVERY GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR WITHOUT ANY EXCEPTION? THEN EVERY US FEDERAL WORKER SHOULD BE VETTED, OR HAVE THE US GOVERNMENT GOT SOMETHING TO HIDE? BEING THAT FORMER PRESIDENT BUSH, IMPLEMENTED THE PILOT PROGRAM, THE GOVERNMENT MUST SET AN EXAMPLE INSTEAD OF ALL THE DELAYS?
So, I guess our darkie president is knuckling under pressure and crawling into bed with the illegals. Time for me to move to another country.
ReplyDeleteI would tell him to come down here and make me, just like all the other bullcrap that is coming our way.
ReplyDeleteDid you know that the annual fiscal burden on North Carolina taxpayers from illegal immigration is more than $1.3 billion? That equates to an annual cost of about $388 per native-born headed household.
ReplyDeleteNC Listen is a non-profit organization based in North Carolina who advocates for the enforcement of our immigration laws. Visit our website at www.nclisten.com and don't forget to sign up on our email list.
Come join us and make a difference!
Under this current administration we are DOOMED! God help us should we be attacked again.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't we deposit these illegals that are being released onto the grounds of the White House? If you want them free Obamessiah, then you can take care of these invaders yourself
ReplyDeleteALL illegal immigrants should be DEPORTED as soon as they are determined to be here ILLEGALLY. That goes for Obama's aunt as well.
ReplyDeleteHow dare our president go against the laws of this land. Come on people, express your views. Numbers USA will allow to send free faxes with just a few clicks of the mouse. If you are against ILLEGAL immigration, check it out:
www.numbersusa.com
www.alipac.com
www.fair.org
Is this another quota system that our goodly government needs, aside from the hispanic vote. "Nuts" is a great response to him. Just be prepared for his personal reputational assassination squad to turn you into the worst sheriff ever elected. Remember, it is good to be the King.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are a bunch of racists. And the funny thing is, you don't even know it.
ReplyDeleteIt is not racism to speak against someone who has taken an oath and breaks that oath every day. Obama has trashed our Constitution and should be tried for Treason. His color is immaterial. Most of the illegal aliens are white. They have broken the law and need to be exported. Including Obama's aunt.
ReplyDeleteSure Obama, but first, show us where under the constitution you have the right to interfere in a Tennessee county. What you should do is send a bus to take them off his hands, then dump them in Mexico.
ReplyDeleteJoin my new community organizing group: OBAMAA, Organized Blacks and Mexicans Against America. Applications available at your local Democratic Headquarters.
ReplyDeleteAbout time!
ReplyDeleteI am a demographer and I currently have a best selling book titled "The Age Curve, How to Profit from the Coming Demographic Storm". I would like to give you a little different perspective on the Latino immigration issue, a macro view from thirty thousand feet. I was recently interviewed by CNN where I made the statement "Latinos have saved our country." I received hate mail so I know bigotry is alive.
ReplyDeleteI thought a snap-shot of my demographic perspective would be helpful.
Between 1965 and 1984 the number of babies born in the United States dropped like a stone owing to a misguided belief that "Zero Population Growth" was beneficial. Roe vs. Wade (1973) also played a significant part and our fertility plummeted twenty-five percent after the Supreme Court decision. In 1985 we began to have children again at above replacement level fertility, but the damage was done.
We have a deficit in our native-born population that is twenty years long. It's called Generation X. Generation X has nine million fewer people than the Boomer Generation born 1945 to 1964 according to the United States Census. This means that Generation X can not earn, consume, pay taxes or populate the labor force at the level of the baby Boomers because they simply do not have the critical mass.
When Generation X entered the entry level labor market twenty years ago they could not satisfy the demand. This sent labor costs soaring and jobs off shore. Latino's poured into the country by the millions to fill the demand unmet by Generation X. Now the bad economy and our own homegrown labor force, Generation Y, born 1985 to 2004 is forcing millions of Latinos to return to their home countries. The remaining Latinos have conveniently filled in the deficit in our population between the ages of twenty-five and forty-four years old.
As Generation X, now fortified by the remaining Latino immigrants, ages into the stage of life when they will be required to do the heavy lifting in the United States by paying most of the federal, state and local taxes, it is paramount that the Latinos immigrants assimilate and advance economically as quickly as possible. Most of this assimilation will occur naturally because their culture is very compatible with U.S. culture and they assimilate faster than any other immigrants in the Nation's history.
We need the Latinos to pay taxes at the level necessary to run our great nation. Without the Latino immigrants our economy would crash in about ten to fifteen years making the current economic crisis look like a cake walk. So not only can immigrants enjoy the American dream, they actually make it possible.
Bigotry is stupid and bigotry is the real issue. That's the bad news. The good news is, it is dying. The best evidence of this fact is in our White House.
Kenneth W. Gronbach
Piss on illegals! Piss on the Observer!
ReplyDeleteKen, I understand the demographic crisis we are facing, but how, exactly are largely uneducated and unskilled illegal immigrants going to help?
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me we need more educated, highly skilled immigrants like what we get from Asia, rather than these people who just walk in from Mexico.
The illegals we get here are definitely not the best and brightest.
"I received hate mail so I know bigotry is alive."
ReplyDeleteYeah Ken anyone who disagrees with your viewpoint MUST be a bigot. There can be no other possibility.
Our population grows at 3rd World rates because we have essentially allowed unfettered access from the 3rd World and somehow we are in danger of demographic decline in your world. We are on a course to increase our population by 150 million people by the year 2055 -- that increase is more than the total number we had in this country in 1960.
You make the mistake that all growth is good. I'll take quality over quantity any day.
Our entitlements were a flawed premise -- a ponzi scheme -- in the first place. Allowing hordes of 3rd worlders into this country won't save these programs either. We'll simply have a Balkanized, crowded, broken country suffering shortages, environmental decline and resembling the countries from which our waves of "immigrants" came.
Obama is an illegal himself from Kenya. Where is his long form birth certificate? Fraud Fraud Fraud, wake up sheeple and google Barry Soetoro and find out who your president really his. I hate this man.
ReplyDeleteIf these Illeagal aliens are here doing work we won't do...who did it before they got here? It's these cheap contractors working them for pennies on the dollar and making larger profits that are the problem. The work doesn't get done cheaper..it gets done with a lack of craftmanship and a big payoff for the contractor using them.
ReplyDeleteO=One
ReplyDeleteB=Big
A=Arse
M=Mistake
A=America
This will probably not be posted because of Censorship!
Could they have purchased a fishing license? And if so, would it have been at the instate or out-of-state price?
ReplyDelete