Refer the fugitives, too
Police should contact ICE when suspect has outstanding warrants
Rocky Mountain News
Published September 15, 2008 at 2:47 a.m.
Thank goodness that the illegal immigrant involved in the latest highly publicized car crash in Aurora didn't kill anyone. And unlike Francis Hernandez, who despite his lengthy rap sheet had somehow evaded federal immigration authorities, Hipolito Vasquez Rojas had actually been deported in April.
Being forced to leave the country didn't prevent Rojas from returning, of course. His career in crime has ended - for now - with his arrest for attempted murder and auto theft after he allegedly stole a car, fired a weapon at a man who tried to stop him, crashed into a police cruiser and then led officers on a foot chase until he was apprehended.
But if he's charged, convicted, serves his time in jail and is deported again, who's to say he won't slip back another time?
The Hernandez and Rojas cases highlight the need to both fill the gaps in state laws on reporting crimes by illegal immigrants to federal officials and demand that Washington live up to its duty to protect law-abiding residents from predatory criminals.
Three Aurora legislators, all Democrats, have demanded an audit analyzing "every crack or gap" in state legislation and current enforcement policies toward illegal immigrants. The audit may provide useful information. But as Republican lawmakers have noted, under current laws, illegal immigrants can be charged with a host of low-level crimes and police still don't have to report the inmates to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Gov. Bill Ritter is on a more promising track. He has given state public safety chief Peter Weir until Dec. 31 to conduct a full review of state immigration laws, highlighting "information gaps and barriers to sharing" information among local, state and federal agencies. The review will also suggest changes in state law that could make it more likely illegal immigrants arrested by local police for breaking other laws are reported to the feds.
This review could lead to effective solutions for the next legislature to implement.
Republicans introduced several last session that didn't pass and should have. They included a measure that would deny bail to suspected illegal immigrants charged with of felonies or DUIs, along with a bill banning any plea bargains that would reduce an illegal immigrant's charges from deportable to nondeportable crimes.
There's at least one other hole the legislature needs to patch. The rap sheets of Hernandez and Rojas were packed with charges that they had failed to appear in court in another county for another offense.
Clearly, a suspect who has a record for being a fugitive - even if it's for a minor violation - is a potential danger to the community and should be considered a flight risk. Any suspected illegal immigrant who's arrested and has an outstanding warrant elsewhere in Colorado should automatically trigger a referral to ICE.
Inundating ICE with e-mails and faxes will have little effect, however, if federal officials ignore those reports. Fortunately, Colorado is in a unique position to influence federal immigration enforcement.
There's an election going on, in case you haven't noticed. And by many accounts Colorado is one of a half-dozen swing states likely to determine who becomes the 44th president.
The candidates will be in our state regularly over the next seven weeks. If Coloradans think immigration should be a priority for the next administration, the communities sponsoring events - and the civic leaders hosting them - should ask pointed questions, and expect specific commitments.
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September 15, 2008
4:32 a.m.
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ksells writes:
I assume this is an editorial from the RMN. I also assume that editors don't review it. But doesn't anyone at the RMN wonder if the person writing the story passed 7th. grade English? This article is beyond incoherency.
The point is you state the facts, point out your position, and make your point. That is what an editorial is about.
This is a Mike Rosen editorial type of answer. I do believe that ICE should respond. I believe those who are responsibe should. I strongly object to the concept that it's the left wing that causes the problem. Right wing president, right wing business, people who want to save money with cheap labor, and right wing radio announcers are to blame.
September 15, 2008
5:18 a.m.
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Mike846 writes:
Neither party has any vested interest in stopping this invasion. The Democrats see potential users of entitlements and possible voters (citizens or not), the Republicans see cheap labor, and both see an relatively uneducated underclass that is no threat to their political control. This is why more and more states and municipalities, struggling under the massive weight of the costs to education, health care and the legal system, are taking concrete steps to make their jurisdictions less attractive to illegals. Of course, they're trying to lower the river rather than raising the bridge. Maybe we ought to try enforcing our laws (and passing new ones) that enforce criminal penalties on those employing illegal aliens. I'd love to see the managers and executives of, for instance, Swift's meat-packing plants, or large homebuilders, doing the perp walk in cuffs, and catch a large fine and 6 months in jail for such offenses. Of course, that won't happen. Neither candidate for President has even mentioned the illegal immigration problem, and my guess is you'll continue to hear nothing from them in the next 7 weeks. Thats why local government must take a tougher stand, and voters must innudate their federal representatives with calls, letters and emails to demand that they take steps to protect our citizens, or face defeat at the polls. Think about this when you go to mark your ballot in November. Mike
September 15, 2008
6:05 a.m.
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blacksho89 writes:
Bill Ritter "has given state public safety chief Peter Weir until Dec. 31 to conduct a full review of state immigration laws, highlighting "information gaps and barriers to sharing".
Like offering misdemeanor plea bargains to heroin dealers? Ritter apparently has a very short memory. if he can't remember ag trespass.
September 15, 2008
7:30 a.m.
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yeastyc writes:
"This is why more and more states and municipalities, struggling under the massive weight of the costs to education, health care and the legal system, are taking concrete steps to make their jurisdictions less attractive to illegals. Of course, they're trying to lower the river rather than raising the bridge."
This is a great point, but if that is their impetus to ignore this problem, it is flawed. How many of our schools are filled with the children of these people, who have been here long enough to know how to skirt many of the taxes to pay for their education (and on the other hand, send their kids to school only to avoid truancy, so their kids do nothing short of disrupt the teaching of kids who want to be there), fill our emergency room and don't pay, increasing our insurance premiums, get free legal council only to avoid a court appearance (this is free for them, but how do you suppose these people are paid?), among many other issues that cost us all dearly because it has been so easy for so long to come here the absolute wrong way. I am not against human rights, but the way they enter the country is illegal and has become a major issue that is more about the fallout than the "cheap labor" they provide
September 15, 2008
8:48 a.m.
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mmannino writes:
Most conservative Republicans have been for stronger enforcement of immigration laws and against amnesty. Most Democrats have been for less enforcement of immigration laws and for amnesty. Ritter and the Democrats are part of the problem, not the solution. The Democrats blocked two sensible immigration laws.
We do not need new studies. We need action such as to pass the Republican sponsored bills. Arizona has passed some good immigration bills that should be enacted in Colorado. However, the Democrats will not allow these bills to emerge from committee. If the Democrats are not part of the problem, let's pass the Republican bills and then bills similar to laws in Arizona.
On energy and immigration, Democrats are obstructionists blocking the clear will of the majority. The majority wants stronger enforcement of immigration laws and the end of sanctuary status for illegals. The majority wants American made energy from domestic drilling and refinery development.
September 15, 2008
9:34 a.m.
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Cwillyrun1 writes:
ksells, don't blame the Republicans when the Democrats stopped measures that could prevent these things from happening. You are a Democratic stooge as evidenced by your out of touch posts!
September 15, 2008
11:17 a.m.
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FlyfishDude52 writes:
mmannino - Right on!
Studies indeed! That's simply another side-step to the issue. We know the problems and probably the solutions, too. So what's holding up enforcement and deportation? Could it be that Denver, and Colorado as a state, is indeed a sanctuary? It looks indisputable to me though lickenhooper denies it, as does ritter.
I still can't understand why neither party is confronting the issue. Oh yeah people will say the repubs want cheap labor and the dems view this as a human rights deal. BS! It 's neither one.
Get on your soapboxes & force obama & mccain to take a stand before you vote for either one. Good luck! I've been sending emails and faxes to both campaign headquartes and have yet to receive a response. Maybe if enough of us, and yes, that includes you, inundate them with these questions we'll get noticed.
September 15, 2008
12:45 p.m.
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BikerChick writes:
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Part-1 of 2 -- ALL ENFORCEMENT AND JUDICIAL OFFICERS MUST ACT IN CONCERT
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YOUR elected and appointed officials (local, county, state and federal), in most cases, are telling you fibs about the magnitude of the invasion by foreign nationals. They intentionally low-ball the numbers and the impacts, to deflect YOUR questions. Others collude in this process.
For example, the media intentionally refuses to cite nationality, lack of lawful presence, perpetrator-address and name of employer in their mishap reports - which deprives YOU of information necessary to protect yourself, family and friends. WHY ?
Because the Chamber of Commerce gives ALL politicians and appointed officials BIG donations to behave that way. The NET impact; YOU suffer, along with your family and friends.
We can reduce our aggregate government budgets by 11%, and our local crimes by 25% - by enforcing ALL of our immigration-related laws. No-brainer.
Your local authorities, and this newspaper, will tell you that we now ONLY host some 10-12 million illegal aliens. In truth, were you to visit local schools across the USA, you will find that we have 10-12 children of illegal aliens enrolled in our K-12 school systems. That is a BIG hint.
According to my own detailed analysis, the USA is NOW hosting more than 40 million fully-employed illegal aliens - PLUS - their 13 million kids and grand-kids. Amongst these folks, there are nearly five million felons - savvy criminals. While we are also plagued with a whole bunch of legal residents who are criminals, more than one-fourth of the inmates in our jails and prisons are illegal aliens and their kids. That is another BIG hint.
Incredible as it may sound at first, the illegal aliens will quietly leave (go 'back home') after we investigate, prosecute, convict and incarcerate the greedy criminals who break our laws to entice and hire illegal aliens. The process is time-honored; migrant labor.
Senator Salazar is misguided with his fervent wish to provide "Amnesty" to each and every illegal alien -- especially since fully 62% have made it clear that they want to go "back home," and do not want to become U S citizens.
More than 700,000 illegal aliens and their more than 230,000 kids and grand-kids now reside in Colorado. That means we feel between 1% and 2% of the U S national impacts. Read on -
In recent testimony before a committee in the U S Congress, the U S Marshal revealed that some 2,200,000 illegal aliens now on our streets have outstanding 'wants-and-warrants.' Some thirty-three thousand of those wanted folks are now in Colorado.
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September 15, 2008
12:51 p.m.
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BikerChick writes:
..
Part-2 of 2 -- ALL ENFORCEMENT AND JUDICIAL OFFICERS MUST ACT IN CONCERT
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In similar testimony, the Department of Homeland Security told the U S Congress that we now host more than 750,000 illegal aliens (on our streets today) who are 'absconders,' folks who have been personally (face-to-face) served with a summons to appear in federal Immigrations Courts, but have decided not to appear. Some 11,500 of those folks are now in Colorado.
YOUR local law-enforcement agencies now have easy access to that NCIC data. When a suspected criminal is apprehended, and fingerprinted, the DOJ-FBI NCIC will tell the local cops about these fugitive notes, but the elected and appointed bosses in those jurisdictions, on average, tell the cops to ignore the 'wants.' Likewise, our fair-and-balanced local court judges. Yes, really.
So the inevitable happens. Mr. Hernandez is typical of some fifteen thousand violent criminal aliens in Colorado.
Brace yourself; two of ten LOCAL traffic stops involves an illegal alien. Yes, really.
One of the sixteen times that Mr. Hernandez was stopped by cops in Colorado, he punched a cop in Denver. In another situation, Mr. Hernandez beat-up a woman in Broomfield in 2007. Yet he was free to kill three people in Aurora. Does that offend YOU ?
THE KEY IS TO COLLECT "PRINTS," AND SUBMIT THE NEW PRINTS TO THE NCIC (iAFIS) FOR INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION IN TRAFFIC STOPS WHEN THE COP HAS A HUNCH THAT SOMETHING IS AMISS. This is called responsible crime-prevention.
And yet, only one in twenty law-enforcement "stops" includes collecting fingerprints, and most cops are under orders NOT to apprehend those suspected of unlawful presence. WE CAN ADD FINGERPRINT COLLECTION EQUIPMENT IN PATROL CARS (requires 2 officers, can call for assist on the radio), BUT WE DON'T.
If the suspect is NOT fingerprinted, felony fraudulent-ID rules over law-and-order. Once again, YOUR local elected and appointed officials can change that, easily. All it takes is to fingerprint ALL suspects, no matter their gender, race, etc. When the "prints" demonstrate that the suspect is "not in the system," the cops have specific information to help them decide what to do next.
There is no legislation required, though state laws would remove the option and mitigate risks to YOU and your family and friends.
What are YOU doing about that garbage ?
If you are inclined to blame the feds, save your breath. The clean-up begins with YOU, and LOCAL law-enforcement officers. This editorial writer works for a corporation that pays dues to the Chamber of Commerce.
That is why you are limited to a view of the tip-of-the-iceberg in this editorial.
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September 15, 2008
4:16 p.m.
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ksells writes:
Cwillyrun1,
Nasty, nasty. A course I took at Metro gave me insight to the argument that if you couldn't answer a question, you could make personal insults to take attention away from the point. I'm a stooge? No. Because nobody is behind me pushing me to state what I believe in.
Are you afraid to answer me about very valid contradictions between Republican statements and Republican acts?
September 15, 2008
5:08 p.m.
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HopiMedicineMan writes:
Having now been to two candidate "concerts." I can say, there's no questioning of candidates. You show up early and stand around for three or four hours. There's warm-up music, speakers and chanting. The candidate comes out to frenzied cheering, tearing of hair (self-scalping). The candidate performs the same speech, hurriedly pumps flesh, then heads for the black SUV.
The only citizens who get to ask questions of important elected officials are reporters. Reporters believe immigration enforcement is racism.
September 15, 2008
8:02 p.m.
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campesino60 writes:
Apparently Ritter has forgotten that when he was a prosecuting attorney he championed catch and release of illegal immigrants. One such illegal immigrant who went on to commit sexual assault on a child in San Francisco.
And let's not forget how he tried to imprison a federal ICE agent for uncovering the same exact policies Ritter want's investigated.
Careful for what you wish it may come back and bight you!