Dallas County jury finds Hector Medina guilty of killing his two children
12:00 AM CDT on Tuesday, September 16, 2008
By TIARA M. ELLIS / The Dallas Morning News
tellis@dallasnews.com
It took about six minutes Monday for a Dallas County jury to decide that Hector Medina was guilty of capital murder for killing his two children.
That same jury began hearing evidence less than 30 minutes later for the punishment phase of the trial to determine whether Mr. Medina, 29, should be sentenced to death or life in prison with no opportunity for parole.
Mr. Medina's guilt was not disputed during his four-day trial. Attorney Donna Winfield told the jury the first day of the trial last week that her client was responsible for the shooting deaths of Javier, 3, and Diana, 8 months, in March 2007.
But Ms. Winfield asked the jury to consider that Mr. Medina's girlfriend, who is the mother of the children, had been having an affair with one of their housemates. Elia Martinez-Bermudez left Mr. Medina less than a week before the shooting.
Ms. Martinez-Bermudez testified during the trial through a Spanish interpreter that Mr. Medina told her he would kill her, their children and himself if she ever left him.
"Ladies and gentleman, he carried out most of that plan," prosecutor Josh Healy told the jury during closing arguments Monday. "He ended the lives of two individuals, who together did not equal 4 years old.
"Hector Medina took this gun and this ammunition ... and goes to his 3-year-old child," Mr. Healy told the jury, pointing the gun at the floor.
"Bam. In the head. Bam. In the neck.
"He doesn't stop there," Mr. Healy said, turning to Diana's wooden crib in the center of the courtroom. "He then turns to the 8-month-old and puts two shots into the baby, killing her instantly."
Afterward, Mr. Medina told one of the four roommates living in the house to call Ms. Martinez-Bermudez and tell her she could pick up the kids, according to testimony.
Then he went outside the Irving house and shot himself in the neck and head. He was hospitalized for about a week and still has one of the bullets lodged in the back of his neck, Ms. Winfield has said in court.
Ms. Martinez-Bermudez was the first witness to testify for the prosecution when the sentencing hearing began Monday afternoon.
She told the jury that Mr. Medina physically restrained her and forced her to have anal sex. He also hit her, threw clothes and appliances and tore a bedroom door off its hinges during one incident the week before the shooting, she said.
Ms. Martinez-Bermudez is an illegal immigrant. She received a special visa exception through the Violence Against Women Act, which helps illegal immigrant women who are victims of abuse come forward – and remain in the United States.
Ms. Winfield questioned why Ms. Martinez-Bermudez had never told police that Mr. Medina raped or abused her before she filed for a protective order two days before the shooting on March 4, 2007.
Under cross examination, Ms. Martinez-Bermudez denied making up the abuse reports to be able to live here legally. She said she just wanted to get her children away from Mr. Medina.
"I don't know how to explain it," Ms. Martinez-Bermudez said, her voice breaking. "He took the most precious things in my life."
The punishment phase is scheduled to continue this morning.
Showing posts with label Irving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Irving. Show all posts
September 16, 2008
September 15, 2008
Victim of domestic violence gets special visa after children killed
One of my co-workers told me about a federal policy that makes it possible for illegal immigrant women to receive special visas to encourage them to go to authorities when they are abused, particularly in cases of domestic violence.
Elia Martinez-Bermudez benefited from this policy. She is the ex-girlfriend of Hector Medina, who is on trial for killing their two children at their Irving home when she left him in 2007. She has also told police that Mr. Medina raped and assaulted her.
The Hector Medina capital murder trial resumes today in the 282nd state district court. He faces the death penalty.
Ms. Martinez-Bermudez testified that she came to Texas from Mexico illegally in 2000. After her children were killed, she received a special visa under the Violence Against Women Act, which helps illegal immigrant women who are victims of abuse come forward. Lalon Peale, one of Mr. Medina's defense attorneys, told state District Judge Andy Chatham outside the jury's presence that Ms. Martinez-Bermudez was about to be deported before this came about.
Mr. Medina, who is a citizen of El Salvador, had been here illegally. But he was able to buy the couple's Irving house after he received temporary protective status because of the wars in El Salvador.
Elia Martinez-Bermudez benefited from this policy. She is the ex-girlfriend of Hector Medina, who is on trial for killing their two children at their Irving home when she left him in 2007. She has also told police that Mr. Medina raped and assaulted her.
The Hector Medina capital murder trial resumes today in the 282nd state district court. He faces the death penalty.
Ms. Martinez-Bermudez testified that she came to Texas from Mexico illegally in 2000. After her children were killed, she received a special visa under the Violence Against Women Act, which helps illegal immigrant women who are victims of abuse come forward. Lalon Peale, one of Mr. Medina's defense attorneys, told state District Judge Andy Chatham outside the jury's presence that Ms. Martinez-Bermudez was about to be deported before this came about.
Mr. Medina, who is a citizen of El Salvador, had been here illegally. But he was able to buy the couple's Irving house after he received temporary protective status because of the wars in El Salvador.
September 13, 2008
Irving ISD enrollment has grown despite worries of a decrease
By KATHERINE LEAL UNMUTH / The Dallas Morning News
kunmuth@dallasnews.com
Irving school enrollment appears to be growing slightly instead of taking a hit as officials had feared.
Last year, the school district suddenly began losing hundreds of students at the end of September, after the deportation of illegal immigrants arrested by local police frightened residents.
Several substandard apartment complexes were also shut down by the city, prompting families to move.
Though the city's Criminal Alien Program and crackdown on code enforcement continue, school enrollment appears to be strong.
Officials counted 33,183 students on Friday, the 14th day of class. That's 35 more students than on the same day last year. District officials had predicted a peak enrollment of 32,764 this year, and a loss of about 425 students.
"I think those worries proved to be unfounded," school board president Jerry Christian said. "If kids left, somebody came in to take their place."
The school district always compares its peak enrollment, the point of highest enrollment, which usually happens within the first six weeks of school. The current enrollment is almost equal to last year's high.
The district's peak last year, which occurred on Sept. 25, was 33,189 students. Shortly after, enrollment quickly dropped. At the time, Superintendent Jack Singley expressed concerns that parents were pulling their children out of schools because of fears about immigration enforcement.
"People just picked up and left the district because they had concerns about what was going on at the city level," said Whit Johnstone, the district's director of planning, evaluation and research.
Officials cautioned that it's still early in the year and enrollment trends are still shifting. But so far the district is gaining a lot of older students. There are about 433 more middle- and high-school students than predicted, while there are 15 fewer elementary students.
Irving officials continue to focus on substandard complexes where many of the district's students live. The week before school started, they shut down the Vista Del Lago apartments.
But school officials worked to make sure homeless students could continue to attend nearby John Haley Elementary.
They also believe that some families affected by apartment closures are moving to different school attendance areas within the district.
kunmuth@dallasnews.com
Irving school enrollment appears to be growing slightly instead of taking a hit as officials had feared.
Last year, the school district suddenly began losing hundreds of students at the end of September, after the deportation of illegal immigrants arrested by local police frightened residents.
Several substandard apartment complexes were also shut down by the city, prompting families to move.
Though the city's Criminal Alien Program and crackdown on code enforcement continue, school enrollment appears to be strong.
Officials counted 33,183 students on Friday, the 14th day of class. That's 35 more students than on the same day last year. District officials had predicted a peak enrollment of 32,764 this year, and a loss of about 425 students.
"I think those worries proved to be unfounded," school board president Jerry Christian said. "If kids left, somebody came in to take their place."
The school district always compares its peak enrollment, the point of highest enrollment, which usually happens within the first six weeks of school. The current enrollment is almost equal to last year's high.
The district's peak last year, which occurred on Sept. 25, was 33,189 students. Shortly after, enrollment quickly dropped. At the time, Superintendent Jack Singley expressed concerns that parents were pulling their children out of schools because of fears about immigration enforcement.
"People just picked up and left the district because they had concerns about what was going on at the city level," said Whit Johnstone, the district's director of planning, evaluation and research.
Officials cautioned that it's still early in the year and enrollment trends are still shifting. But so far the district is gaining a lot of older students. There are about 433 more middle- and high-school students than predicted, while there are 15 fewer elementary students.
Irving officials continue to focus on substandard complexes where many of the district's students live. The week before school started, they shut down the Vista Del Lago apartments.
But school officials worked to make sure homeless students could continue to attend nearby John Haley Elementary.
They also believe that some families affected by apartment closures are moving to different school attendance areas within the district.
September 8, 2008
Hector Medina's attorney plans to show why dad killed his two kids
By TIARA M. ELLIS / The Dallas Morning News
tellis@dallasnews.com
The defense attorney for a man accused of killing his two children said during opening statements at his trial today that she would show jurors why the shootings took place.
"This case is not a whodunit," said defense attorney Donna Winfield in the capital murder trial of Hector Medina. "The entire responsibility of what happened that day lies with Hector Medina. We want to know why."
Hector Rolando Medina Mr. Medina, 29, is accused of fatally shooting 8-month-old Diana and 3-year-old Javier before shooting himself in the head and neck in March 2007. If convicted, he faces the death penalty.
Ms. Winfield told the jury that she plans to show that Mr. Medina's girlfriend and mother of his children, Elia Martinez-Bermudez, now 24, had been having an affair with one of their roommates. Ms. Winfield also plans to call a mental health expert to testify about Mr. Medina's mindset.
Prosecutor Pat Kirlin told the jury during opening statements that Ms. Martinez-Bermudez left Mr. Medina days before the shooting in March 2007, because he had threatened to kill her and their children. When she returned to their Irving home one day later from picking up her paycheck, Mr. Medina would not let her back into the home. Their children were inside.
After she left, a couple of the roommates reported hearing some doors bang shut, sounds which were later identified as gunshots, Mr. Kirlin said.
"He had put two bullets through each one of his children" Mr. Kirlin said.
The next day, a district judge granted a protective order to Ms. Martinez-Bermudez. She could not be reached for comment last week, but she is expected to testify during Mr. Medina's trial.
Mr. Medina, who is a citizen of El Salvador, was hospitalized for about a week and then taken to the Dallas County Jail. He has remained there on a federal immigration hold. The bullet remains in his neck, according to court records.
Irving police Sgt. Jef Swann said it's common for violence in an adult relationship to extend to children in the household.
"The husband or wife, if they can't take it out on that person, they'll take it out on the children," said Sgt. Swann, who oversees the Irving police family violence unit. "The kids are regularly caught in the middle."
In an affidavit for the protective order, Ms. Martinez-Bermudez said that "Hector has grabbed me, thrown me, pulled my hair and pinned me down and forced me to have sex with him numerous times."
The week before the shooting, the affidavit said, Mr. Medina assaulted her at the Irving house they shared with another family because she refused to have sex with him.
She said Mr. Medina told her that police would write her a ticket if she called them for no reason.
"Hector stated since I did not have any bruising they would not believe me," Ms. Martinez-Bermudez said. "I believed Hector, so I didn't call for help."
tellis@dallasnews.com
The defense attorney for a man accused of killing his two children said during opening statements at his trial today that she would show jurors why the shootings took place.
"This case is not a whodunit," said defense attorney Donna Winfield in the capital murder trial of Hector Medina. "The entire responsibility of what happened that day lies with Hector Medina. We want to know why."
Hector Rolando Medina Mr. Medina, 29, is accused of fatally shooting 8-month-old Diana and 3-year-old Javier before shooting himself in the head and neck in March 2007. If convicted, he faces the death penalty.
Ms. Winfield told the jury that she plans to show that Mr. Medina's girlfriend and mother of his children, Elia Martinez-Bermudez, now 24, had been having an affair with one of their roommates. Ms. Winfield also plans to call a mental health expert to testify about Mr. Medina's mindset.
Prosecutor Pat Kirlin told the jury during opening statements that Ms. Martinez-Bermudez left Mr. Medina days before the shooting in March 2007, because he had threatened to kill her and their children. When she returned to their Irving home one day later from picking up her paycheck, Mr. Medina would not let her back into the home. Their children were inside.
After she left, a couple of the roommates reported hearing some doors bang shut, sounds which were later identified as gunshots, Mr. Kirlin said.
"He had put two bullets through each one of his children" Mr. Kirlin said.
The next day, a district judge granted a protective order to Ms. Martinez-Bermudez. She could not be reached for comment last week, but she is expected to testify during Mr. Medina's trial.
Mr. Medina, who is a citizen of El Salvador, was hospitalized for about a week and then taken to the Dallas County Jail. He has remained there on a federal immigration hold. The bullet remains in his neck, according to court records.
Irving police Sgt. Jef Swann said it's common for violence in an adult relationship to extend to children in the household.
"The husband or wife, if they can't take it out on that person, they'll take it out on the children," said Sgt. Swann, who oversees the Irving police family violence unit. "The kids are regularly caught in the middle."
In an affidavit for the protective order, Ms. Martinez-Bermudez said that "Hector has grabbed me, thrown me, pulled my hair and pinned me down and forced me to have sex with him numerous times."
The week before the shooting, the affidavit said, Mr. Medina assaulted her at the Irving house they shared with another family because she refused to have sex with him.
She said Mr. Medina told her that police would write her a ticket if she called them for no reason.
"Hector stated since I did not have any bruising they would not believe me," Ms. Martinez-Bermudez said. "I believed Hector, so I didn't call for help."
Trial of man accused of killing his two children begins
By TIARA M. ELLIS / The Dallas Morning News
tellis@dallasnews.com
A death penalty trial is scheduled to begin today in Dallas for a 29-year-old man accused of killing his two young children after their mother, his longtime girlfriend, told authorities that he had abused her and threatened them.
Hector Rolando Medina and his girlfriend, Elia Martinez-Bermudez, had been together for five years when she decided to leave him last year. She told police that he had repeatedly abused her physically and raped her.
Ms. Martinez-Bermudez, now 24, sought a protective order on March 2, 2007. Two days later, she returned to her Irving home to find police inside with her mortally wounded children.
Police say Mr. Medina shot the two – Javier, 3, and Diana, 8 months – before shooting himself in the neck.
The next day, a district judge granted a protective order to Ms. Martinez-Bermudez. She could not be reached for comment last week, but she is expected to testify during Mr. Medina's trial.
Mr. Medina, who is a citizen of El Salvador, was hospitalized for about a week and then taken to the Dallas County Jail. He has remained there on a federal immigration hold. The bullet remains in his neck, according to court records.
Donna Winfield, Mr. Medina's attorney, tried during pretrial discussions to persuade prosecutors to give her client life in prison with no opportunity for parole, the only other punishment available in capital murder cases.
"These types of cases are never about responsibility, or who did it," Ms. Winfield said last week. "What was going on mentally with the person? That's more the crux of the case."
Irving police Sgt. Jef Swann said it's common for violence in an adult relationship to extend to children in the household.
"The husband or wife, if they can't take it out on that person, they'll take it out on the children," said Sgt. Swann, who oversees the Irving police family violence unit. "The kids are regularly caught in the middle."
In an affidavit for the protective order, Ms. Martinez-Bermudez said that "Hector has grabbed me, thrown me, pulled my hair and pinned me down and forced me to have sex with him numerous times."
The week before the shooting, the affidavit said, Mr. Medina assaulted her at the Irving house they shared with another family because she refused to have sex with him.
She said Mr. Medina told her that police would write her a ticket if she called them for no reason.
"Hector stated since I did not have any bruising they would not believe me," Ms. Martinez-Bermudez said. "I believed Hector, so I didn't call for help."
tellis@dallasnews.com
A death penalty trial is scheduled to begin today in Dallas for a 29-year-old man accused of killing his two young children after their mother, his longtime girlfriend, told authorities that he had abused her and threatened them.
Hector Rolando Medina and his girlfriend, Elia Martinez-Bermudez, had been together for five years when she decided to leave him last year. She told police that he had repeatedly abused her physically and raped her.
Ms. Martinez-Bermudez, now 24, sought a protective order on March 2, 2007. Two days later, she returned to her Irving home to find police inside with her mortally wounded children.
Police say Mr. Medina shot the two – Javier, 3, and Diana, 8 months – before shooting himself in the neck.
The next day, a district judge granted a protective order to Ms. Martinez-Bermudez. She could not be reached for comment last week, but she is expected to testify during Mr. Medina's trial.
Mr. Medina, who is a citizen of El Salvador, was hospitalized for about a week and then taken to the Dallas County Jail. He has remained there on a federal immigration hold. The bullet remains in his neck, according to court records.
Donna Winfield, Mr. Medina's attorney, tried during pretrial discussions to persuade prosecutors to give her client life in prison with no opportunity for parole, the only other punishment available in capital murder cases.
"These types of cases are never about responsibility, or who did it," Ms. Winfield said last week. "What was going on mentally with the person? That's more the crux of the case."
Irving police Sgt. Jef Swann said it's common for violence in an adult relationship to extend to children in the household.
"The husband or wife, if they can't take it out on that person, they'll take it out on the children," said Sgt. Swann, who oversees the Irving police family violence unit. "The kids are regularly caught in the middle."
In an affidavit for the protective order, Ms. Martinez-Bermudez said that "Hector has grabbed me, thrown me, pulled my hair and pinned me down and forced me to have sex with him numerous times."
The week before the shooting, the affidavit said, Mr. Medina assaulted her at the Irving house they shared with another family because she refused to have sex with him.
She said Mr. Medina told her that police would write her a ticket if she called them for no reason.
"Hector stated since I did not have any bruising they would not believe me," Ms. Martinez-Bermudez said. "I believed Hector, so I didn't call for help."
September 4, 2008
We the People - Why is Irving the only enforcer?
Why is Irving the only enforcer?
12:21 AM CDT on Thursday, September 4, 2008
Re: "Regional Roundup – Activist arrested at hearing on apartments," Saturday Metro.
Carlos Quintanilla, once again, was arrested on outstanding warrants while in Irving. It seems rather fitting that he holds himself out as an activist for illegal immigrants since he is a scofflaw himself. Why is Irving the only city that notices he has outstanding warrants and makes him answer to the law and accept responsibility for his misdeeds?
Faye Skrak, Allen
12:21 AM CDT on Thursday, September 4, 2008
Re: "Regional Roundup – Activist arrested at hearing on apartments," Saturday Metro.
Carlos Quintanilla, once again, was arrested on outstanding warrants while in Irving. It seems rather fitting that he holds himself out as an activist for illegal immigrants since he is a scofflaw himself. Why is Irving the only city that notices he has outstanding warrants and makes him answer to the law and accept responsibility for his misdeeds?
Faye Skrak, Allen
August 24, 2008
Activists Call Off Boycott Of Irving Car Dealership
POSTED: 9:11 am CDT August 24, 2008
UPDATED: 9:20 am CDT August 24, 2008
IRVING, Texas -- Hispanic leaders called off a boycott of a popular North Texas car dealership on Saturday.
Activists called for the boycott after Oscar Urbina, an illegal immigrant, was arrested after a broken car deal. Both sides now say it was a big misunderstanding.
"The police are obviously called for a different reason than checking the government papers or immigrant status, and Frank Parra is confident that won't happen again," said attorney Larry Friedman, who represents Frank Parra Chevrolet.
Urbina said he was using a fake Social Security number to try to buy a truck when the finance company flagged the deal.
When asked to leave the store, Urbina locked himself into the truck, the dealership's salesmen said. They then called police, and Urbina was arrested.
"We accept their apologies and their willingness to work with our community, and now we move forward," activist Carlos Quintenia said. "And now Oscar Urbina lives in peace and tranquility, and Frank Parra continues to get the support of our community that it has had for many, many, many years."
The dealership said it will not press charges against Urbina.
UPDATED: 9:20 am CDT August 24, 2008
IRVING, Texas -- Hispanic leaders called off a boycott of a popular North Texas car dealership on Saturday.
Activists called for the boycott after Oscar Urbina, an illegal immigrant, was arrested after a broken car deal. Both sides now say it was a big misunderstanding.
"The police are obviously called for a different reason than checking the government papers or immigrant status, and Frank Parra is confident that won't happen again," said attorney Larry Friedman, who represents Frank Parra Chevrolet.
Urbina said he was using a fake Social Security number to try to buy a truck when the finance company flagged the deal.
When asked to leave the store, Urbina locked himself into the truck, the dealership's salesmen said. They then called police, and Urbina was arrested.
"We accept their apologies and their willingness to work with our community, and now we move forward," activist Carlos Quintenia said. "And now Oscar Urbina lives in peace and tranquility, and Frank Parra continues to get the support of our community that it has had for many, many, many years."
The dealership said it will not press charges against Urbina.
August 22, 2008
Undocumented Immigrant Upset After Arrest At Car Dealership
POSTED: 6:27 pm CDT August 22, 2008
UPDATED: 7:54 pm CDT August 22, 2008
IRVING, Texas -- Some members of the Hispanic community are calling for a boycott of Frank Parra dealerships after a broken car deal led to an undocumented immigrant's arrest.
Frank Parra Dodge insists it is the victim of an immigration smear campaign brought on by community activist Carlos Quintanilla. Quintanilla is calling for a boycott after the sales staff at the dealership had customer Oscar Urbina arrested.
Urbina admitted to being in the country illegally and using a fake Social Security number to buy a truck when the finance company flagged the deal.
"That's when we said, 'Just give us our truck and leave the store,'" Joe Fernandez of Frank Parra Dodge said.
Instead, the dealership's salesmen said Urbina locked himself inside the truck, and that is when they called police.
"The last thing we want is to have a customer arrested. We just wanted our truck back," Fernandez said.
However, Urbina said the dealership actually offered to find a new finance company that would accept the fake Social Security number if he agreed to pay a higher percentage rate and put more money down.
"It's saying, 'If you don't agree with us, we will call the police and report you,'" Quintanilla said.
The Parra dealership denies that that offer took place.
Urbina said he was upset because he has purchased numerous cars at the dealership before and there was never a problem.
However, when asked if that fact makes it appropriate for him to use a fake Social Security number, Urbina seemed to be at a loss for words.
UPDATED: 7:54 pm CDT August 22, 2008
IRVING, Texas -- Some members of the Hispanic community are calling for a boycott of Frank Parra dealerships after a broken car deal led to an undocumented immigrant's arrest.
Frank Parra Dodge insists it is the victim of an immigration smear campaign brought on by community activist Carlos Quintanilla. Quintanilla is calling for a boycott after the sales staff at the dealership had customer Oscar Urbina arrested.
Urbina admitted to being in the country illegally and using a fake Social Security number to buy a truck when the finance company flagged the deal.
"That's when we said, 'Just give us our truck and leave the store,'" Joe Fernandez of Frank Parra Dodge said.
Instead, the dealership's salesmen said Urbina locked himself inside the truck, and that is when they called police.
"The last thing we want is to have a customer arrested. We just wanted our truck back," Fernandez said.
However, Urbina said the dealership actually offered to find a new finance company that would accept the fake Social Security number if he agreed to pay a higher percentage rate and put more money down.
"It's saying, 'If you don't agree with us, we will call the police and report you,'" Quintanilla said.
The Parra dealership denies that that offer took place.
Urbina said he was upset because he has purchased numerous cars at the dealership before and there was never a problem.
However, when asked if that fact makes it appropriate for him to use a fake Social Security number, Urbina seemed to be at a loss for words.
July 10, 2008
Fort Worth, 3 other Texas cities in top 10 of growth list
Thu, Jul. 10, 2008
By BILL HANNAbillhanna@star-telegram.com
Related Content
Star-Telegram/Paul Moseley
By any measuring stick, Texas cities are leading the way in population growth.
U.S. Census data released Thursday shows four Texas cities — Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin — in the Top 10 in actual population gain from July 1, 2006, to July 1, 2007. Only one other state, North Carolina with Charlotte and Raleigh, had more than one city in the Top 10.
State demographer Karl Eschbach said Texas continues to create jobs and has a strong economy compared to the rest of the nation. He noted that some states such as Florida and Arizona that were competing with Texas for population have seen their economies cool because of the real estate slump.
The continued growth of Fort Worth and Austin caught Eschbach’s eye.
"They are both core metropolitan cities that are attractive to in-migrating middle-class populations," Eschbach said. "A lot of major cities, including both Houston and Dallas, have immigrants replacing U.S.-born citizens."
Texas’ big gain
Eschbach notes that Texas gained an estimated 3 million people from 2000 to 2007, the most of any state. The Texas State Data Center, which Eschbach leads, estimated the Texas population at 23,904,380 in 2007. The data center projects the state will gain another 19 million in population by 2040 for a total of 43,581,928 if growth continues at same rate it did from 2000 to 2004.
In the Metroplex, he projects Fort Worth and Arlington to gain another 2.7 million in population by 2040 and Dallas-Plano-Irving to see an increase of 6.4 million by 2040.
"If you look at our projections, I don’t necessarily see any short-term caps on growth," Eschbach said.
Killeen, with a 6.5 percent jump was sixth and Denton, with a 4.7 percent increase. was 10th on the list of cities with top percentage growth. Fort Worth’s population grew by 4.5 percent, which was good enough for 11th. But Fort Worth was the largest U.S. city to crack the Top 20.
"As they get bigger, cities growth rates tend to slow down," Eschbach said. "I’d say I expect that to eventually happen for Fort Worth but I don’t see any reason why Fort Worth can’t sustain these current growth rates for some time."
New Orleans rebounds
The latest census estimates show New Orleans residents steadily returning to the Crescent City following Hurricane Katrina.
With a gain of 28,926, New Orleans’ population had rebounded to an estimated 239,124 by July 1, 2007. That’s still well short of the 453,726 that lived in New Orleans on July 1, 2005, before Hurricane Katrina devastated the city on Aug. 29, 2005.
"They still have lots of problems of houses without electricity or areas where schools haven’t reopened," said Louisiana Tech demographer Caroline Leung. "People are coming back but how fast they can come back is still in question. A lot of the people are still in Texas in the Houston area. And I think a lot of people who are coming back aren’t going to New Orleans, they’re settling somewhere between Baton Rouge and New Orleans."
Leung said New Orleans could eventually come close to a population of 400,000 but she doesn’t believe it will ever reach its pre-Katrina population.
"New Orleans was losing population before the storm," she said. "People were leaving for the suburbs long before Katrina hit."
A University of New Orleans study released this week found that 62 percent of flooded homes in New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish were being renovated or repairs had been completed.
The survey was conducted in May. A similar survey from early 2007 found that 35 percent of flooded homes were being renovated.
New Orleans’ 13.8 percent population jump was the largest percentage increase in the U.S. from July 1, 2006 to July 1, 2007. McKinney, northeast of Dallas, was third with an 8 percent jump.
City population
Percentage growth
1. New Orleans (13.8 percent)
2. Victorville, Calif. (9.5 percent)
3. McKinney (8 percent)
4. North Las Vegas, Nev. (7.4 percent)
5. Cary, N.C. (7.3 percent)
6. Killeen (6.5 percent)
7. Port St. Lucie, Fla. (6.3 percent)
8. Gilbert, Ariz., (5.8 percent)
9. Clarksville, Tenn. (4.8 percent)
10. Denton (4.7 percent)
11. Fort Worth (4.5 percent)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates from July 1, 2006, to July 1, 2007
BILL HANNA, 817-390-7698
By BILL HANNAbillhanna@star-telegram.com
Related Content
Star-Telegram/Paul Moseley
By any measuring stick, Texas cities are leading the way in population growth.
U.S. Census data released Thursday shows four Texas cities — Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin — in the Top 10 in actual population gain from July 1, 2006, to July 1, 2007. Only one other state, North Carolina with Charlotte and Raleigh, had more than one city in the Top 10.
State demographer Karl Eschbach said Texas continues to create jobs and has a strong economy compared to the rest of the nation. He noted that some states such as Florida and Arizona that were competing with Texas for population have seen their economies cool because of the real estate slump.
The continued growth of Fort Worth and Austin caught Eschbach’s eye.
"They are both core metropolitan cities that are attractive to in-migrating middle-class populations," Eschbach said. "A lot of major cities, including both Houston and Dallas, have immigrants replacing U.S.-born citizens."
Texas’ big gain
Eschbach notes that Texas gained an estimated 3 million people from 2000 to 2007, the most of any state. The Texas State Data Center, which Eschbach leads, estimated the Texas population at 23,904,380 in 2007. The data center projects the state will gain another 19 million in population by 2040 for a total of 43,581,928 if growth continues at same rate it did from 2000 to 2004.
In the Metroplex, he projects Fort Worth and Arlington to gain another 2.7 million in population by 2040 and Dallas-Plano-Irving to see an increase of 6.4 million by 2040.
"If you look at our projections, I don’t necessarily see any short-term caps on growth," Eschbach said.
Killeen, with a 6.5 percent jump was sixth and Denton, with a 4.7 percent increase. was 10th on the list of cities with top percentage growth. Fort Worth’s population grew by 4.5 percent, which was good enough for 11th. But Fort Worth was the largest U.S. city to crack the Top 20.
"As they get bigger, cities growth rates tend to slow down," Eschbach said. "I’d say I expect that to eventually happen for Fort Worth but I don’t see any reason why Fort Worth can’t sustain these current growth rates for some time."
New Orleans rebounds
The latest census estimates show New Orleans residents steadily returning to the Crescent City following Hurricane Katrina.
With a gain of 28,926, New Orleans’ population had rebounded to an estimated 239,124 by July 1, 2007. That’s still well short of the 453,726 that lived in New Orleans on July 1, 2005, before Hurricane Katrina devastated the city on Aug. 29, 2005.
"They still have lots of problems of houses without electricity or areas where schools haven’t reopened," said Louisiana Tech demographer Caroline Leung. "People are coming back but how fast they can come back is still in question. A lot of the people are still in Texas in the Houston area. And I think a lot of people who are coming back aren’t going to New Orleans, they’re settling somewhere between Baton Rouge and New Orleans."
Leung said New Orleans could eventually come close to a population of 400,000 but she doesn’t believe it will ever reach its pre-Katrina population.
"New Orleans was losing population before the storm," she said. "People were leaving for the suburbs long before Katrina hit."
A University of New Orleans study released this week found that 62 percent of flooded homes in New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish were being renovated or repairs had been completed.
The survey was conducted in May. A similar survey from early 2007 found that 35 percent of flooded homes were being renovated.
New Orleans’ 13.8 percent population jump was the largest percentage increase in the U.S. from July 1, 2006 to July 1, 2007. McKinney, northeast of Dallas, was third with an 8 percent jump.
City population
Percentage growth
1. New Orleans (13.8 percent)
2. Victorville, Calif. (9.5 percent)
3. McKinney (8 percent)
4. North Las Vegas, Nev. (7.4 percent)
5. Cary, N.C. (7.3 percent)
6. Killeen (6.5 percent)
7. Port St. Lucie, Fla. (6.3 percent)
8. Gilbert, Ariz., (5.8 percent)
9. Clarksville, Tenn. (4.8 percent)
10. Denton (4.7 percent)
11. Fort Worth (4.5 percent)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates from July 1, 2006, to July 1, 2007
BILL HANNA, 817-390-7698
July 5, 2008
More Mexicans leaving U.S. under duress
12:07 AM CDT on Saturday, July 5, 2008
By OCTAVIO RIVERA LÓPEZ / Al Día
Two hours were enough for José Luis Sánchez and his family to pack their most valuable belongings in two vans – items accumulated in 10 years of living in the Dallas area.
With his wife, children and their suitcases in place, Mr. Sánchez closed the door of his Mesquite apartment for the last time, sat at the wheel of one of the vehicles – his brother drove the other – and hit the road back to his homeland.
So ended his decade-long adventure as an illegal Mexican immigrant in the United States.
According to Mexican consulate officials in Dallas, some 400 immigrant families have told them so far this year that they're going back to Mexico and asked for transfer documents to enroll their children in Mexican schools.
Enrique Hubbard Urrea, Mexican consul general in Dallas, said it is impossible to track every Mexican who leaves the area. But he said the number asking for transfer documents at the consulate is on the rise.
In 2005, the consulate issued 162 such documents; in 2006 it was 199; and last year it was 270. At the current rate, more than twice as many people will leave this year as last, he said.
"There is no doubt the trend indicates that the number is growing," Mr. Hubbard said.
And it isn't happening only in Dallas. At the Mexican consulates in Chicago and Phoenix, too, the number of Mexican families applying for transfer documents for their children has increased.
So far in 2008, more people (752) have visited the Mexican consulate in Phoenix to apply for transfer documents than the total for 2006 (248) and 2007 (330) combined, according to officials there.
According to informal surveys by the Mexican consulate in Dallas, most of those wanting to return to Mexico cite the sudden scarcity of jobs, fear of deportation and uncertainty about obtaining legal resident status any time soon.
In the last few years, and particularly the last few months, Mr. Sánchez struggled to find work. His earnings dwindled as his children grew up and their needs multiplied.
"People like me, if you don't work one day, you worry about how to feed your family the next day," he said. "We as immigrant workers never have stability, even if the economy is doing well. Imagine how things are now."
Also, he said, there is growing anti-immigrant sentiment that he would rather not experience anymore.
"Those of us who live here live depressed all the time, in hiding," he said. "They don't like us here, and those who love us and whom we love are far away. I prefer to go back, even if it means living in poorer conditions."
Mr. Hubbard said tougher enforcement of immigration laws in the last few years hasn't gone unnoticed.
"Some say companies fear hiring people without proper documents," he said.
He said others are seeing authorities detain more people in Irving, Farmers Branch and, to a lesser degree, Carrollton.
Carl Rusnok, spokesman for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Dallas, said deportation of Mexican immigrants nationally has grown from 108,900 in 2005 to 136,370 last year.
Mark López, associate director of the Pew Hispanic Center, said he has no reliable data about the number of immigrants returning to Mexico but is not surprised many are going.
"Lower-income people – obviously including immigrants – have been disproportionately affected by the economic downturn," he said.
Two weeks ago, the Pew center said the unemployment rate among Hispanic immigrants reached 7.5 percent in the first quarter of 2008, compared with 5.5 percent during the same quarter of last year.
Mr. Hubbard and Mr. López say the departures could cause problems for cities, especially those that have pushed ordinances hostile to immigrants, because in scaring immigrants away, they are driving away part of their workforce along with its purchasing power.
"If they don't like them as neighbors, they won't like them as consumers, either," said Mr. Hubbard.
But others think that immigrants returning to their countries won't hurt the U.S. economy.
"The country's economy adjusted to the immigrants' presence. No doubt it will adjust to their absence," said Ira Mehlman, national spokesman for FAIR, an organization opposed to illegal immigration.
"That these people are leaving proves what we have been saying for years," he said. "If you begin enforcing the law to prevent them getting what they come here to get, they will go."
Mr. Mehlman said FAIR would like to see more immigrants leave, not because of hard economic times but because of law enforcement.
He said the return of Mexican immigrants to their home country would force the government there to make reforms to jump-start its economy.
"Exporting its unemployed, underemployed citizens or those who are unhappy there allowed the Mexican government to get rid of the pressure to introduce changes for the benefit of their people," Mr. Mehlman said. "Now that their people are going back, perhaps they won't be able to shun their responsibility any longer."
As the moment to leave came, José Luis Sánchez and his family didn't have an idea of the Mexico awaiting them. From their family, they expect everything. From their home country, not much.
"We're going to continue living by the day, for sure," he said. "But psychologically we're going to be better. With our family, without fears, without pressures. It's worth the difficulties."
And, he added, "The American Dream is just that – a dream."
By OCTAVIO RIVERA LÓPEZ / Al Día
Two hours were enough for José Luis Sánchez and his family to pack their most valuable belongings in two vans – items accumulated in 10 years of living in the Dallas area.
With his wife, children and their suitcases in place, Mr. Sánchez closed the door of his Mesquite apartment for the last time, sat at the wheel of one of the vehicles – his brother drove the other – and hit the road back to his homeland.
So ended his decade-long adventure as an illegal Mexican immigrant in the United States.
According to Mexican consulate officials in Dallas, some 400 immigrant families have told them so far this year that they're going back to Mexico and asked for transfer documents to enroll their children in Mexican schools.
Enrique Hubbard Urrea, Mexican consul general in Dallas, said it is impossible to track every Mexican who leaves the area. But he said the number asking for transfer documents at the consulate is on the rise.
In 2005, the consulate issued 162 such documents; in 2006 it was 199; and last year it was 270. At the current rate, more than twice as many people will leave this year as last, he said.
"There is no doubt the trend indicates that the number is growing," Mr. Hubbard said.
And it isn't happening only in Dallas. At the Mexican consulates in Chicago and Phoenix, too, the number of Mexican families applying for transfer documents for their children has increased.
So far in 2008, more people (752) have visited the Mexican consulate in Phoenix to apply for transfer documents than the total for 2006 (248) and 2007 (330) combined, according to officials there.
According to informal surveys by the Mexican consulate in Dallas, most of those wanting to return to Mexico cite the sudden scarcity of jobs, fear of deportation and uncertainty about obtaining legal resident status any time soon.
In the last few years, and particularly the last few months, Mr. Sánchez struggled to find work. His earnings dwindled as his children grew up and their needs multiplied.
"People like me, if you don't work one day, you worry about how to feed your family the next day," he said. "We as immigrant workers never have stability, even if the economy is doing well. Imagine how things are now."
Also, he said, there is growing anti-immigrant sentiment that he would rather not experience anymore.
"Those of us who live here live depressed all the time, in hiding," he said. "They don't like us here, and those who love us and whom we love are far away. I prefer to go back, even if it means living in poorer conditions."
Mr. Hubbard said tougher enforcement of immigration laws in the last few years hasn't gone unnoticed.
"Some say companies fear hiring people without proper documents," he said.
He said others are seeing authorities detain more people in Irving, Farmers Branch and, to a lesser degree, Carrollton.
Carl Rusnok, spokesman for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Dallas, said deportation of Mexican immigrants nationally has grown from 108,900 in 2005 to 136,370 last year.
Mark López, associate director of the Pew Hispanic Center, said he has no reliable data about the number of immigrants returning to Mexico but is not surprised many are going.
"Lower-income people – obviously including immigrants – have been disproportionately affected by the economic downturn," he said.
Two weeks ago, the Pew center said the unemployment rate among Hispanic immigrants reached 7.5 percent in the first quarter of 2008, compared with 5.5 percent during the same quarter of last year.
Mr. Hubbard and Mr. López say the departures could cause problems for cities, especially those that have pushed ordinances hostile to immigrants, because in scaring immigrants away, they are driving away part of their workforce along with its purchasing power.
"If they don't like them as neighbors, they won't like them as consumers, either," said Mr. Hubbard.
But others think that immigrants returning to their countries won't hurt the U.S. economy.
"The country's economy adjusted to the immigrants' presence. No doubt it will adjust to their absence," said Ira Mehlman, national spokesman for FAIR, an organization opposed to illegal immigration.
"That these people are leaving proves what we have been saying for years," he said. "If you begin enforcing the law to prevent them getting what they come here to get, they will go."
Mr. Mehlman said FAIR would like to see more immigrants leave, not because of hard economic times but because of law enforcement.
He said the return of Mexican immigrants to their home country would force the government there to make reforms to jump-start its economy.
"Exporting its unemployed, underemployed citizens or those who are unhappy there allowed the Mexican government to get rid of the pressure to introduce changes for the benefit of their people," Mr. Mehlman said. "Now that their people are going back, perhaps they won't be able to shun their responsibility any longer."
As the moment to leave came, José Luis Sánchez and his family didn't have an idea of the Mexico awaiting them. From their family, they expect everything. From their home country, not much.
"We're going to continue living by the day, for sure," he said. "But psychologically we're going to be better. With our family, without fears, without pressures. It's worth the difficulties."
And, he added, "The American Dream is just that – a dream."
January 20, 2008
Criminal Alien Program still taking illegals arrested for minor offenses
Criminal Alien Program still taking illegals arrested for minor offenses
02:36 PM CST on Sunday, January 20, 2008
By BRANDON FORMBY / The Dallas Morning News
bformby@dallasnews.com
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is still accepting illegal immigrants arrested on Class C misdemeanors, despite issuing a memo less than two months ago saying it would no longer take many of those referrals.
ICE spokesman Carl Rusnok said the memo was prompted by a deluge of referral requests from local law enforcement. The agency said at the time that it wanted to focus on illegal immigrants accused of more serious crimes.
Mr. Rusnok said the Dallas office has continued to accept suspects with Class C misdemeanor charges as long as its resources permit.
Such charges include speeding, assault, public intoxication and hot checks. The penalty is a fine of no more than $500.
"The bottom line is [that] like all law-enforcement organizations, we're going to prioritize our resources," Mr. Rusnok said. "It just makes sense."
Irving kicked off a national media firestorm last fall for the high number of suspects it referred through the Criminal Alien Program. Most of the 2,172 people the city has turned over to ICE since September 2006 faced Class C misdemeanors only. The city's referral effort has changed little since the November memo.
In October, Irving police referred 146 suspects to ICE. In November, that number fell to 140. It was 165 in December. Between Jan. 1 and Wednesday, more than 80 arrestees went to ICE.
Officials in the Dallas County suburb have spent months dispelling rumors that its CAP program involved racial profiling and weathering protests by thousands who say police essentially turn over for deportation people who commit nothing more than routine traffic infractions.
But police officials said the department hasn't changed its procedures, which include arresting people who can't identify themselves even if they face minor charges.
CAP allows local law-enforcement agencies to refer to ICE anyone who is arrested and cannot prove citizenship. If ICE determines that the person is in the country illegally, it imposes a deportation hold.
Sheriff's departments in Dallas, Denton and Collin counties and the Farmers Branch, Garland and Grand Prairie police departments are among the North Texas law-enforcement agencies that use CAP.
Farmers Branch police Cpl. Chad Taylor said his department hasn't seen any change with ICE since the memo was sent.
"They're still taking our Class C offenses," he said. 'We're still business as usual."
Grand Prairie police Detective John Brimmer said there was a brief period when ICE wouldn't take his department's Class C referrals, but that has since changed. On Friday, for example, ICE took into custody two people at the Grand Prairie jail facing Class C charges.
Last week, Irving police Capt. John Rodriguez addressed Hispanic residents during a town hall meeting conducted in Spanish. Although the meeting was aimed at informing residents about several city plans and initiatives, many questions from the audience centered around CAP.
Capt. Rodriguez said that as long people can present proper, state-issued identification when stopped while driving and don't commit crimes, they have little to worry about.
"They shouldn't be afraid," he said. "The program is geared to persons breaking the law. Our biggest concern is identifying the individual."
In September, Mexican Consul Enrique Hubbard Urrea warned immigrants to avoid Irving because hundreds were being turned over to ICE monthly. Many faced misdemeanor charges.
That same month, the number of people Irving turned over under CAP peaked at 269. That number has since dropped, and Mr. Urrea's office said there have been far fewer complaints. Police, Hispanic activists, Irving residents and Mr. Urrea attribute the declines to two things – a change in behavior by some illegal immigrants and an exodus from the city by others.
"That is the main factor – that people began to use caution," Mr. Urrea said last week. "In some cases, people may have left the city or avoided the city. There are reports that the number of children in schools has dropped."
The Irving school district has lost more than 770 students since September, more than double the number lost during a similar period last year. Some believe that the city's participation in CAP is partly to blame. About two-thirds of the district's students are Latino.
Some residents say fear still pervades the Hispanic community. At Tuesday's town hall meeting, roofer Marco Ríos asked why police were getting involved in an issue many see as a federal responsibility.
"My workers won't even show up to collect a paycheck," the 41-year-old said.
Others say that while some fears linger, the initial wave of panic has ebbed.
"It's getting better," said Carlos Quintanilla, who garnered media attention for organizing rallies against CAP and for his own arrest on outstanding warrants in Irving last year. "We would hope to see it go down even more to 30 or 40 or even zero people a month, but that's wishful thinking. I think it would be reduced if our community would take the initiative to act responsibly, too."
Mr. Quintanilla said some small Hispanic businesses in Irving have lost revenue because many Hispanics now avoid public places and prefer to stay at home. Educating people about U.S. laws and police procedures has also helped to ease some fears, he said.
"Our community has to accept some form of responsibility, and that's a change for us, when before we were saying our community is innocent of everything," he said.
Staff writers Jon Nielsen and Frank Trejo and Al Día reporter Alejandro Martínez contributed to this report.
TOP OFFENSES Since Sept. 1, 2006, Irving police have used the Criminal Alien Program to refer arrestees whose citizenship cannot be verified to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for possible deportation. Here are the 15 most common charges against Irving jail detainees believed to be illegal immigrants from the program's start in Irving through Wednesday.
Charge* Total
Local misdemeanor warrants 1,232
Outside misdemeanor warrants 896
No driver's license 515
Public intoxication 499
Other misdemeanors 410
Driving while intoxicated offenses 352
Driving with invalid license 131
Possession of drug(s) 105
Misdemeanor assault 101
Driving without insurance 99
Outside felony warrants 97
Failure to identify self as fugitive 86
Misdemeanor theft 76
Felony theft 44
Failure to display driver's license 36
Total charges** 5,013
Total people turned
over to ICE
2,172
* These are initial charges at the time of arrest and may be dropped or changed after review. Some individuals face multiple charges.
** "Total charges" include the 15 categories listed here as well as others.
SOURCE: Irving Police Department
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/012008dnmetimmigholds.20740eb.html
02:36 PM CST on Sunday, January 20, 2008
By BRANDON FORMBY / The Dallas Morning News
bformby@dallasnews.com
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is still accepting illegal immigrants arrested on Class C misdemeanors, despite issuing a memo less than two months ago saying it would no longer take many of those referrals.
ICE spokesman Carl Rusnok said the memo was prompted by a deluge of referral requests from local law enforcement. The agency said at the time that it wanted to focus on illegal immigrants accused of more serious crimes.
Mr. Rusnok said the Dallas office has continued to accept suspects with Class C misdemeanor charges as long as its resources permit.
Such charges include speeding, assault, public intoxication and hot checks. The penalty is a fine of no more than $500.
"The bottom line is [that] like all law-enforcement organizations, we're going to prioritize our resources," Mr. Rusnok said. "It just makes sense."
Irving kicked off a national media firestorm last fall for the high number of suspects it referred through the Criminal Alien Program. Most of the 2,172 people the city has turned over to ICE since September 2006 faced Class C misdemeanors only. The city's referral effort has changed little since the November memo.
In October, Irving police referred 146 suspects to ICE. In November, that number fell to 140. It was 165 in December. Between Jan. 1 and Wednesday, more than 80 arrestees went to ICE.
Officials in the Dallas County suburb have spent months dispelling rumors that its CAP program involved racial profiling and weathering protests by thousands who say police essentially turn over for deportation people who commit nothing more than routine traffic infractions.
But police officials said the department hasn't changed its procedures, which include arresting people who can't identify themselves even if they face minor charges.
CAP allows local law-enforcement agencies to refer to ICE anyone who is arrested and cannot prove citizenship. If ICE determines that the person is in the country illegally, it imposes a deportation hold.
Sheriff's departments in Dallas, Denton and Collin counties and the Farmers Branch, Garland and Grand Prairie police departments are among the North Texas law-enforcement agencies that use CAP.
Farmers Branch police Cpl. Chad Taylor said his department hasn't seen any change with ICE since the memo was sent.
"They're still taking our Class C offenses," he said. 'We're still business as usual."
Grand Prairie police Detective John Brimmer said there was a brief period when ICE wouldn't take his department's Class C referrals, but that has since changed. On Friday, for example, ICE took into custody two people at the Grand Prairie jail facing Class C charges.
Last week, Irving police Capt. John Rodriguez addressed Hispanic residents during a town hall meeting conducted in Spanish. Although the meeting was aimed at informing residents about several city plans and initiatives, many questions from the audience centered around CAP.
Capt. Rodriguez said that as long people can present proper, state-issued identification when stopped while driving and don't commit crimes, they have little to worry about.
"They shouldn't be afraid," he said. "The program is geared to persons breaking the law. Our biggest concern is identifying the individual."
In September, Mexican Consul Enrique Hubbard Urrea warned immigrants to avoid Irving because hundreds were being turned over to ICE monthly. Many faced misdemeanor charges.
That same month, the number of people Irving turned over under CAP peaked at 269. That number has since dropped, and Mr. Urrea's office said there have been far fewer complaints. Police, Hispanic activists, Irving residents and Mr. Urrea attribute the declines to two things – a change in behavior by some illegal immigrants and an exodus from the city by others.
"That is the main factor – that people began to use caution," Mr. Urrea said last week. "In some cases, people may have left the city or avoided the city. There are reports that the number of children in schools has dropped."
The Irving school district has lost more than 770 students since September, more than double the number lost during a similar period last year. Some believe that the city's participation in CAP is partly to blame. About two-thirds of the district's students are Latino.
Some residents say fear still pervades the Hispanic community. At Tuesday's town hall meeting, roofer Marco Ríos asked why police were getting involved in an issue many see as a federal responsibility.
"My workers won't even show up to collect a paycheck," the 41-year-old said.
Others say that while some fears linger, the initial wave of panic has ebbed.
"It's getting better," said Carlos Quintanilla, who garnered media attention for organizing rallies against CAP and for his own arrest on outstanding warrants in Irving last year. "We would hope to see it go down even more to 30 or 40 or even zero people a month, but that's wishful thinking. I think it would be reduced if our community would take the initiative to act responsibly, too."
Mr. Quintanilla said some small Hispanic businesses in Irving have lost revenue because many Hispanics now avoid public places and prefer to stay at home. Educating people about U.S. laws and police procedures has also helped to ease some fears, he said.
"Our community has to accept some form of responsibility, and that's a change for us, when before we were saying our community is innocent of everything," he said.
Staff writers Jon Nielsen and Frank Trejo and Al Día reporter Alejandro Martínez contributed to this report.
TOP OFFENSES Since Sept. 1, 2006, Irving police have used the Criminal Alien Program to refer arrestees whose citizenship cannot be verified to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for possible deportation. Here are the 15 most common charges against Irving jail detainees believed to be illegal immigrants from the program's start in Irving through Wednesday.
Charge* Total
Local misdemeanor warrants 1,232
Outside misdemeanor warrants 896
No driver's license 515
Public intoxication 499
Other misdemeanors 410
Driving while intoxicated offenses 352
Driving with invalid license 131
Possession of drug(s) 105
Misdemeanor assault 101
Driving without insurance 99
Outside felony warrants 97
Failure to identify self as fugitive 86
Misdemeanor theft 76
Felony theft 44
Failure to display driver's license 36
Total charges** 5,013
Total people turned
over to ICE
2,172
* These are initial charges at the time of arrest and may be dropped or changed after review. Some individuals face multiple charges.
** "Total charges" include the 15 categories listed here as well as others.
SOURCE: Irving Police Department
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/012008dnmetimmigholds.20740eb.html
October 19, 2007
ID card may prevent illegal immigrant arrests in Irving
Mayor, Mexican consul meet on immigration, deportation issues
05:07 AM CDT on Friday, October 19, 2007
By ISABEL MORALES / Al Día
Illegal immigrants may be able to avoid being arrested in Irving if they can provide police with a Mexican identification card, a utility bill or a similar document, the city's mayor said Thursday.
"You have a better chance if you can identify yourself," Mayor Herbert Gears said after meeting with immigration-rights activists. "If you can't identify yourself, you're going to have no chance."
The acceptance of the Mexican ID, known as a matrícula consular, and other documents besides state-issued ID cards comes as activists have encouraged the mayor to help prevent more people from being deported as part of the Criminal Alien Program. Irving officials began using the program in September 2006 and have since turned more than 1,600 arrestees over to federal authorities for deportation.
Mr. Gears explained that if someone is stopped for a traffic violation, that person's chances of avoiding jail will be better with proof of identification. If the police can confirm someone's identity, that person will be issued a citation and let go.
"If you can't identify yourself otherwise and you don't have a license, you will definitely be arrested," Mr. Gears said.
The Mexican Consulate will open a mobile office in Irving to issue the identification cards, but Mexican Consul Enrique Hubbard Urrea and Mr. Gears emphasized that Irving won't accept the cards as official documents, only as a way of identifying someone.
"They are accepting that they believe that this person is who they say they are," Mr. Gears said.
The mayor also agreed to help create an educational campaign to inform people of immigration laws.
Mr. Hubbard, who attended the meeting, said he was pleased with the efforts to resolve immigration issues in Irving.
"We hope that we have moved to a different stage, one of negotiations and understanding," he said. "It has been a fruitful meeting."
One of the activists who attended the meeting, Carlos Quintanilla of Acción América, also saw it as a sign of progress.
"We have come to an agreement between our community and the city of Irving to start a dialogue and work together," he said.
05:07 AM CDT on Friday, October 19, 2007
By ISABEL MORALES / Al Día
Illegal immigrants may be able to avoid being arrested in Irving if they can provide police with a Mexican identification card, a utility bill or a similar document, the city's mayor said Thursday.
"You have a better chance if you can identify yourself," Mayor Herbert Gears said after meeting with immigration-rights activists. "If you can't identify yourself, you're going to have no chance."
The acceptance of the Mexican ID, known as a matrícula consular, and other documents besides state-issued ID cards comes as activists have encouraged the mayor to help prevent more people from being deported as part of the Criminal Alien Program. Irving officials began using the program in September 2006 and have since turned more than 1,600 arrestees over to federal authorities for deportation.
Mr. Gears explained that if someone is stopped for a traffic violation, that person's chances of avoiding jail will be better with proof of identification. If the police can confirm someone's identity, that person will be issued a citation and let go.
"If you can't identify yourself otherwise and you don't have a license, you will definitely be arrested," Mr. Gears said.
The Mexican Consulate will open a mobile office in Irving to issue the identification cards, but Mexican Consul Enrique Hubbard Urrea and Mr. Gears emphasized that Irving won't accept the cards as official documents, only as a way of identifying someone.
"They are accepting that they believe that this person is who they say they are," Mr. Gears said.
The mayor also agreed to help create an educational campaign to inform people of immigration laws.
Mr. Hubbard, who attended the meeting, said he was pleased with the efforts to resolve immigration issues in Irving.
"We hope that we have moved to a different stage, one of negotiations and understanding," he said. "It has been a fruitful meeting."
One of the activists who attended the meeting, Carlos Quintanilla of Acción América, also saw it as a sign of progress.
"We have come to an agreement between our community and the city of Irving to start a dialogue and work together," he said.
July 20, 2007
ICE arrests 274 criminals, fugitives, immigration violators in Dallas / Fort Worth area
July 20, 2007
ICE arrests 274 criminals, fugitives, immigration violators in Dallas / Fort Worth area
Five-day operation targeting fugitive criminals nets 99 aliens with criminal convictions
DALLAS — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrested 274 illegal aliens, criminals and immigration fugitives during a five-day enforcement operation here. Assisting ICE during this operation were officers from Dallas Constable and the following local police departments: Dallas, Irving, Fort Worth, Farmers Branch, Carrolton, Arlington and Blue Mound.
This localized, targeted enforcement initiative, which began Monday and concluded today, is part of an ongoing nationwide initiative focused on arresting criminal aliens. During this operation, ICE officers arrested 274 illegal aliens, including 99 with criminal convictions. Among those arrested were 233 men and 28 women. Of the 274 aliens arrested, 137 have already been returned to Mexico.
“The primary focus of this operation was to target, arrest and deport criminal aliens,” said Nuria T. Prendes, field office director for the ICE Office of Detention and Removal Operations in Dallas. “These operations are a critical element in removing threats to public safety. At the same time, these operations help protect the integrity of the nation’s legal immigration system.” Prendes heads an area that includes north Texas and the state of Oklahoma.
Those arrested included aliens from the following countries: Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nigeria, Romania and South Korea.
Following are two examples of those aliens with criminal convictions who were arrested:
Gustavo Noe Castro, 40, from Mexico, was arrested July 19 in Dallas, Texas. Castro has a lengthy criminal history, including the following: arrested and convicted in Dallas in 2000 for Assault on Family Member Resulting in Injury; also arrested and convicted in Dallas in 2000 for Possessing Controlled Substances. Castro also has three prior drunken-driving arrests in Dallas. He is being processed for deportation.
Francisco Rafael Trejo, 40, from El Salvador, was arrested July 19. Trejo has a lengthy criminal history, including the following arrests: arrested and convicted of Unlawfully Carrying a Weapon in Dallas in 1991 and 1993; arrested and convicted of Possessing Controlled Substances in 2003. Trejo also has four prior drunken-driving arrests in Dallas. He is being processed for deportation.
Some of the crimes associated with the Assault, possession/manufacturing of a controlled substance, unlawful carrying of a weapon, DWI, burglary of a vehicle, burglary of a domicile, theft, injury to a family member, illegal alien with a commercial drivers license with hazmat certificate, sex assault of child, indecency with a child, failure to stop and render aid which resulted in fatality.
Those who have not already been returned to Mexico have been placed into deportation proceedings and are awaiting return to their countries of origin.
These arrests are part of ICE’s interior enforcement strategy, which was announced in April 2006 by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and ICE Assistant Secretary Julie Myers. A critical element of this interior enforcement strategy is to identify and remove criminal aliens, fugitives and other immigration violators from the United States.
-- ICE --
ICE arrests 274 criminals, fugitives, immigration violators in Dallas / Fort Worth area
Five-day operation targeting fugitive criminals nets 99 aliens with criminal convictions
DALLAS — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrested 274 illegal aliens, criminals and immigration fugitives during a five-day enforcement operation here. Assisting ICE during this operation were officers from Dallas Constable and the following local police departments: Dallas, Irving, Fort Worth, Farmers Branch, Carrolton, Arlington and Blue Mound.
This localized, targeted enforcement initiative, which began Monday and concluded today, is part of an ongoing nationwide initiative focused on arresting criminal aliens. During this operation, ICE officers arrested 274 illegal aliens, including 99 with criminal convictions. Among those arrested were 233 men and 28 women. Of the 274 aliens arrested, 137 have already been returned to Mexico.
“The primary focus of this operation was to target, arrest and deport criminal aliens,” said Nuria T. Prendes, field office director for the ICE Office of Detention and Removal Operations in Dallas. “These operations are a critical element in removing threats to public safety. At the same time, these operations help protect the integrity of the nation’s legal immigration system.” Prendes heads an area that includes north Texas and the state of Oklahoma.
Those arrested included aliens from the following countries: Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nigeria, Romania and South Korea.
Following are two examples of those aliens with criminal convictions who were arrested:
Gustavo Noe Castro, 40, from Mexico, was arrested July 19 in Dallas, Texas. Castro has a lengthy criminal history, including the following: arrested and convicted in Dallas in 2000 for Assault on Family Member Resulting in Injury; also arrested and convicted in Dallas in 2000 for Possessing Controlled Substances. Castro also has three prior drunken-driving arrests in Dallas. He is being processed for deportation.
Francisco Rafael Trejo, 40, from El Salvador, was arrested July 19. Trejo has a lengthy criminal history, including the following arrests: arrested and convicted of Unlawfully Carrying a Weapon in Dallas in 1991 and 1993; arrested and convicted of Possessing Controlled Substances in 2003. Trejo also has four prior drunken-driving arrests in Dallas. He is being processed for deportation.
Some of the crimes associated with the Assault, possession/manufacturing of a controlled substance, unlawful carrying of a weapon, DWI, burglary of a vehicle, burglary of a domicile, theft, injury to a family member, illegal alien with a commercial drivers license with hazmat certificate, sex assault of child, indecency with a child, failure to stop and render aid which resulted in fatality.
Those who have not already been returned to Mexico have been placed into deportation proceedings and are awaiting return to their countries of origin.
These arrests are part of ICE’s interior enforcement strategy, which was announced in April 2006 by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and ICE Assistant Secretary Julie Myers. A critical element of this interior enforcement strategy is to identify and remove criminal aliens, fugitives and other immigration violators from the United States.
-- ICE --
September 1, 2006
Irving City Council Endorses Criminal Alien Program
Irving City Council Endorses Criminal Alien Program
The Irving City Council has approved the Criminal Alien Program (CAP) as the Irving Police Department’s official policy for addressing prisoners who are not U.S. citizens.
The Police Department initiated an arrangement with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in September in which an ICE agent made weekly visits to the Irving Jail to determine the residency status of prisoners.
A new process with the Detention and Removal Division of ICE was implemented in April where residency status is reviewed over the phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This change has increased the number of illegal aliens identified from an average of 52 to 130 per month.
Every prisoner booked into the Irving Jail is rigorously screened regardless of charges. Those determined to be illegal aliens are released to ICE or transferred to the Dallas County Jail with an ICE hold. Since partnering with ICE, more than 700 illegal aliens have been removed from the Irving Jail.
“Irving is a model community for other cities. As we utilize the Criminal Alien Program, we will continue making strides toward maintaining the safety of our residents,” said Mayor Herbert Gears. “We are extremely pleased with the success and cost-effectiveness that the program has provided our community, and look forward to continued success in the future.”
http://cityofirving.org/corporate-communications/key-focus/articles/public-safety/Council%20Endorses%20CAP.pdf
The Irving City Council has approved the Criminal Alien Program (CAP) as the Irving Police Department’s official policy for addressing prisoners who are not U.S. citizens.
The Police Department initiated an arrangement with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in September in which an ICE agent made weekly visits to the Irving Jail to determine the residency status of prisoners.
A new process with the Detention and Removal Division of ICE was implemented in April where residency status is reviewed over the phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This change has increased the number of illegal aliens identified from an average of 52 to 130 per month.
Every prisoner booked into the Irving Jail is rigorously screened regardless of charges. Those determined to be illegal aliens are released to ICE or transferred to the Dallas County Jail with an ICE hold. Since partnering with ICE, more than 700 illegal aliens have been removed from the Irving Jail.
“Irving is a model community for other cities. As we utilize the Criminal Alien Program, we will continue making strides toward maintaining the safety of our residents,” said Mayor Herbert Gears. “We are extremely pleased with the success and cost-effectiveness that the program has provided our community, and look forward to continued success in the future.”
http://cityofirving.org/corporate-communications/key-focus/articles/public-safety/Council%20Endorses%20CAP.pdf
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