Perry demands immigration action by feds
After a Chronicle investigation, governor urges steps to ensure criminals here illegally don't avoid deportation
By SUSAN CARROLL Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
Gov. Rick Perry and members of the state's congressional delegation called on the federal government Tuesday to take steps to help state and local officials ensure that illegal immigrants who commit crimes in Texas remain in custody until they are deported.
In a strongly worded letter to Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff, Perry said he was outraged to learn that many convicted illegal immigrants in Texas jails were released after they completed their jail sentences instead of being deported.
In a series of stories this week, the Houston Chronicle outlined gaps in the screening of inmates in local jails that allowed scores of violent criminals, including some ordered deported decades ago, to walk away from Harris County Jail despite the inmates' admission to Harris County jailers that they were in the country illegally.
"Texas has spent the last four years investing unprecedented amounts of state resources to secure our border with Mexico," Perry said in his letter to Chertoff. "To now learn that criminal aliens who have been jailed are being released back into our communities by federal authorities who have neglected to secure our border is infuriating and unconscionable."
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and U.S. Reps. John Culberson, R-Houston, Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, and Michael McCaul, R-Austin, called on Immigration and Customs Enforcement to improve screening in the nation's jails and better coordinate efforts to identify illegal immigrants convicted of crimes while they are incarcerated. Brady asked for a meeting of the Houston-area congressional delegation to help ICE determine what resources are needed to "close the terrible gaps in detaining and deporting" illegal immigrants convicted of crimes.
The Chronicle examined arrest and immigration records for 3,500 inmates who told jailers that they were in the country illegally during a span of eight months starting in June 2007, the earliest immigration records available. In 177 cases reviewed by the Chronicle, inmates who were released from jail after admitting to being in the country illegally later were charged with additional crimes. More than half of those charges were felonies, including aggravated sexual assault of a child and capital murder.
At least 178 cases in the review involved suspects who absconded, meaning they had bail revoked for missing court dates or allegedly committing more crimes. Some 330 inmates who told jailers they were in the U.S. illegally were later sentenced to a form of probation.
This spring, ICE officials announced a plan to identify and deport the most serious offenders in the nation's prisons and jails, estimating it would cost roughly $930 million.
Agency defends work
ICE officials said they have made improvements in recent months, including providing the Harris County Sheriff's Office and six other law enforcement agencies in the U.S. access to a database that allows jailers to automatically check defendants' immigration history.
The agency also trained nine Harris County jailers in August to help file paperwork to detain illegal immigrants through its 287 g program, which allows local law enforcement to help ICE screen inmates in the nation's 3,100 jails. ICE also removed a record 107,000 convicted criminals from the U.S. in the 2008 fiscal year, which ended in September, officials said.
"I think the numbers speak for themselves," said ICE spokeswoman Kelly Nantel. "The number of criminal aliens in prisons and jails has more than tripled in the last few years. ... Can we do more? Absolutely. Are we committed to doing more? You bet."
U.S. Rep. Ted Poe, R-Humble, said the system "is breaking down in several places." Poe said he sent a letter on Tuesday to Adrian Garcia, Harris County's sheriff-elect, requesting that he "ratchet up" participation in the 287 g program. He said when illegal immigrants post bond, ICE should file a detainer and pick them up for possible deportation.
"I don't think ICE is trying to solve the problem," he added. "But if they need more money, Congress should certainly be helping to bail out ICE instead of people like General Motors."
Garcia did not return phone calls this week.
Harris County's newly elected district attorney, Pat Lykos, said ICE needs to be in the Harris County courthouse "24-7" and improve screening of illegal immigrants so prosecutors have more reliable information when making bond recommendations and considering plea agreements.
Houston Mayor Bill White said on Tuesday that he plans to call Chertoff to urge for more personnel to deport illegal immigrants who commit violent crimes and have finished serving their sentences.
"Most citizens would far prefer us to spend more money trying to get the violent criminals out of the country than trying to figure out how many years the person who's doing their landscaping has been in the country," White said.
Harris County Judge Ed Emmett said the issue is a law enforcement problem, and added: "In a way it's kind of sad that it gets wrapped up in an immigration debate. The issue really is you've got criminals and you've got a way of getting rid of them. Do it. To me a system doesn't work if you have violent criminals who are just turned back out into society and they disappear. That's a flawed system. I don't think anybody would disagree with that."
Stewart Powell, Liz Austin Peterson, Clay Robison and Bradley Olson contributed reporting.
Showing posts with label Rick Perry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rick Perry. Show all posts
November 19, 2008
August 20, 2008
GOP lawmakers question Texas AG on immigration issues
By KAREN BROOKS / The Dallas Morning News
kmbrooks@dallasnews.com
AUSTIN – Texas Republican lawmakers want an attorney general's opinion on how far the state can go in dealing with illegal immigration, providing an early snapshot of the looming fight in the Texas Legislature next year.
On Tuesday, Rep. Frank Corte, R-San Antonio, and Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, asked Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott if the state could legally yank the business licenses of employers who hire illegal workers, hinting that such strong sanctions – already enacted in Arizona – could find support in the GOP-controlled Texas Legislature.
They also asked if they're allowed to ban cities from enacting "sanctuary" ordinances that prohibit city workers, including police, from enforcing immigration laws – as Fort Worth and Austin have done.
"I really believe that the citizenry are asking for something to be done," said Mr. Corte, chairman of the House GOP.
The two questions are a warning shot to immigration advocates and the business community about where some of the hot spots of the debate will be.
Several cities already encourage their police not to focus on immigration status of witnesses and victims, and some legislators want to ban such practices.
As for stronger business sanctions, Mr. Corte said he thinks such a proposal would get support in the GOP-controlled House, in spite of what is sure to be strong resistance from the business community – which tends to support Republicans and are major donors to state leaders like Gov. Rick Perry and House Speaker Tom Craddick.
Last year, Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, withdrew his proposal to cut businesses from the Texas Enterprise Fund for immigration violations after business groups agreed to support reforms at the federal level and not the state level.
On Tuesday, Mr. Anchia maintained that comprehensive reform at the federal level was the way to solve the problem, not "patchwork" state laws that he said do more harm than good.
"I understand everyone's frustration with the lack of action by the federal government, but trying to legislate federal immigration law from the state level could have detrimental effects on our already soft economy," he said.
kmbrooks@dallasnews.com
AUSTIN – Texas Republican lawmakers want an attorney general's opinion on how far the state can go in dealing with illegal immigration, providing an early snapshot of the looming fight in the Texas Legislature next year.
On Tuesday, Rep. Frank Corte, R-San Antonio, and Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, asked Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott if the state could legally yank the business licenses of employers who hire illegal workers, hinting that such strong sanctions – already enacted in Arizona – could find support in the GOP-controlled Texas Legislature.
They also asked if they're allowed to ban cities from enacting "sanctuary" ordinances that prohibit city workers, including police, from enforcing immigration laws – as Fort Worth and Austin have done.
"I really believe that the citizenry are asking for something to be done," said Mr. Corte, chairman of the House GOP.
The two questions are a warning shot to immigration advocates and the business community about where some of the hot spots of the debate will be.
Several cities already encourage their police not to focus on immigration status of witnesses and victims, and some legislators want to ban such practices.
As for stronger business sanctions, Mr. Corte said he thinks such a proposal would get support in the GOP-controlled House, in spite of what is sure to be strong resistance from the business community – which tends to support Republicans and are major donors to state leaders like Gov. Rick Perry and House Speaker Tom Craddick.
Last year, Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, withdrew his proposal to cut businesses from the Texas Enterprise Fund for immigration violations after business groups agreed to support reforms at the federal level and not the state level.
On Tuesday, Mr. Anchia maintained that comprehensive reform at the federal level was the way to solve the problem, not "patchwork" state laws that he said do more harm than good.
"I understand everyone's frustration with the lack of action by the federal government, but trying to legislate federal immigration law from the state level could have detrimental effects on our already soft economy," he said.
June 1, 2008
Immigration Issue May Push Rep. Berman To Run For Governor
June 01, 2008
Immigration Issue May Push Rep. Berman To Run For Governor
Roy Maynard
The battle lines are being drawn for the upcoming legislative session, and immigration will again be a contentious debate.
State Rep. Leo Berman is raising the stakes now, however. The Tyler Republican says that if he’s not satisfied with the progress made at the Capital, he’ll run for governor.
“We don’t have any leadership in Texas that’s committed to real immigration reform,” Berman says. “I’m going to lead an effort among a dozen Republicans to introduce 20 to 30 new bills dealing with illegal immigration. If we can’t do anything on those bills, then at the end of the session, I will announce my candidacy for governor, on the pledge that if elected, I’ll do something about the issue.”
Gov. Rick Perry — who has announced his plans to run for re-election in 2010 — has opposed Berman’s bills in the past.
“I think any of those types of legislation that create divisions are bad. We need to look at ways to be bringing people together, rather than driving wedges between them,” Perry said prior to the last legislative session.
House Speaker Tom Craddick has also opposed most state-level fixes to what he sees as federal issues.
“Historically, the federal government has dealt with immigration,” Craddick said through his spokesman, Chris Cutrone, in 2006.
And the chairman of the committee that would normally hear these bills, Rep. David Swinford, staunchly opposed Berman’s efforts in 2007.
Berman had hoped for some progress; he’s won a pledge from Craddick that should allow him to send immigration bills to other committees, bypassing Swinford.
And Berman’s now armed with the irrefutable endorsement for immigration reform voiced by Texas Republican voters.
In March, Republicans casting ballots in the primaries voted on a measure saying that “Federal, state and local officials should be required to enforce U.S. immigration laws in order to secure our borders.” They approved the referendum by 96.33 percent.
But it’s still going to be an uphill battle to win over the leadership, Berman acknowledges.
That’s why he’s upping the ante.
“If we can’t get anything done concerning illegal aliens, I’ll run,” he said. “For six months (following the close of the session), I’ll travel the entire state talking to Republicans about the issue. I’ll talk to anyone who will listen.”
He admits his announcement “is a little surprising.”
“I know it’s going to be a shock to a lot of people, especially to those people in Austin who play musical chairs on their way to the governor’s office — running for land commissioner, agriculture commissioner, other offices as stepping stones,” he said. “But I’m a five-term state legislator, so I’ve got the standing to run.”
It would be a dark horse campaign – not unlike the presidential campaign of Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo, who also ran on the issue of immigration. Tancredo’s campaign sputtered to a stop in December, out of funds and never really registering on the polls.
“There are differences,” Berman says. “It’s a lot tougher running for president. But we’re talking about the Texas Republican primary here, and I can reach out to every single primary voter if I have to.”
He said he’ll use fundraising as a gauge to help determine whether he should stay in the race.
“If I haven’t raised enough money to mount a serious run by December (2009), then I just won’t file for governor,” he said.
------
Early Returns is the political observations column of staff writer Roy Maynard, who can be reached at 903-596-6291 or at roymaynardtmt@gmail.com.
Immigration Issue May Push Rep. Berman To Run For Governor
Roy Maynard
The battle lines are being drawn for the upcoming legislative session, and immigration will again be a contentious debate.
State Rep. Leo Berman is raising the stakes now, however. The Tyler Republican says that if he’s not satisfied with the progress made at the Capital, he’ll run for governor.
“We don’t have any leadership in Texas that’s committed to real immigration reform,” Berman says. “I’m going to lead an effort among a dozen Republicans to introduce 20 to 30 new bills dealing with illegal immigration. If we can’t do anything on those bills, then at the end of the session, I will announce my candidacy for governor, on the pledge that if elected, I’ll do something about the issue.”
Gov. Rick Perry — who has announced his plans to run for re-election in 2010 — has opposed Berman’s bills in the past.
“I think any of those types of legislation that create divisions are bad. We need to look at ways to be bringing people together, rather than driving wedges between them,” Perry said prior to the last legislative session.
House Speaker Tom Craddick has also opposed most state-level fixes to what he sees as federal issues.
“Historically, the federal government has dealt with immigration,” Craddick said through his spokesman, Chris Cutrone, in 2006.
And the chairman of the committee that would normally hear these bills, Rep. David Swinford, staunchly opposed Berman’s efforts in 2007.
Berman had hoped for some progress; he’s won a pledge from Craddick that should allow him to send immigration bills to other committees, bypassing Swinford.
And Berman’s now armed with the irrefutable endorsement for immigration reform voiced by Texas Republican voters.
In March, Republicans casting ballots in the primaries voted on a measure saying that “Federal, state and local officials should be required to enforce U.S. immigration laws in order to secure our borders.” They approved the referendum by 96.33 percent.
But it’s still going to be an uphill battle to win over the leadership, Berman acknowledges.
That’s why he’s upping the ante.
“If we can’t get anything done concerning illegal aliens, I’ll run,” he said. “For six months (following the close of the session), I’ll travel the entire state talking to Republicans about the issue. I’ll talk to anyone who will listen.”
He admits his announcement “is a little surprising.”
“I know it’s going to be a shock to a lot of people, especially to those people in Austin who play musical chairs on their way to the governor’s office — running for land commissioner, agriculture commissioner, other offices as stepping stones,” he said. “But I’m a five-term state legislator, so I’ve got the standing to run.”
It would be a dark horse campaign – not unlike the presidential campaign of Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo, who also ran on the issue of immigration. Tancredo’s campaign sputtered to a stop in December, out of funds and never really registering on the polls.
“There are differences,” Berman says. “It’s a lot tougher running for president. But we’re talking about the Texas Republican primary here, and I can reach out to every single primary voter if I have to.”
He said he’ll use fundraising as a gauge to help determine whether he should stay in the race.
“If I haven’t raised enough money to mount a serious run by December (2009), then I just won’t file for governor,” he said.
------
Early Returns is the political observations column of staff writer Roy Maynard, who can be reached at 903-596-6291 or at roymaynardtmt@gmail.com.
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