Here is what I am talking about.
One Sheriff Shows America How To Deal With Illegal Immigration
By Matt
Towery
Thursday, August 2, 2007
While politicians have hacked and
sloughed their way through the issue of illegal immigration, one sheriff in
Atlanta has taken matters into his own hands by doing what the law already
allows law enforcement to do -- begin deportation proceedings against illegal
aliens who are charged with crimes.
Cobb County is a large, upscale and
well-run county just north of the city limits of Atlanta. Once known for a more
radical conservative tone, the county is now thought of as a
moderate-to-conservative area more interested in promoting economic growth and
the arts than promoting political agendas. I say that because the actions of the
county's sheriff, Neil Warren, and his chief deputy, Lynda Coker, reflect not
some Maricopa County brand of "hang 'em high" justice, but rather a businesslike
approach to dealing with the issue of illegal immigrants.
In essence
Warren's team is doing the one thing that every law enforcement agency in
America could and should be doing, taking advantage of the existing laws and
programs that could have an immediate impact on illegal immigration throughout
America.
Cobb County sheriff's deputies have been trained by federal
immigration officials as to what to look for and how to examine documents in
order to determine whether someone arrested and placed in their custody is a
legal resident. There may well be other law enforcement organizations in the
nation that have availed themselves of such training and are also determining
the status of those in their system. The difference is that Sheriff Warren is
taking the opportunity that federal law also provides. He and his department
have started to initiate, on their own, deportation proceedings once a
determination is made that an individual in their custody is in the United
States illegally.
In the four weeks since the Georgia county began its
new program, removal proceedings have commenced against 42 individuals who
either committed crimes or were pending trial for a lesser offense. Those who
commit serious felonies are held for trial first, with the issue of deportation
to be dealt with after their case is concluded.
It's important to note
that the county works with federal officials, and that federal immigration
officials must review the case before it goes before a judge. In other words,
this is not fly by night justice. It is, truly, businesslike.
Some in
the Hispanic community have argued that this strict enforcement has created a
"chilling effect" in their community, saying that it causes those who might be
here illegally to avoid reporting crimes or testifying at trials. That's
nonsense. The program that the Cobb sheriff's office has developed doesn't run
status checks on witnesses or victims.
Every poll I've examined shows
that, while some Americans might support some system of allowing illegal
immigrants to earn their way into the country, a huge majority of Americans are
adamant that current laws, at the very least, be enforced. Warren's critics will
find themselves with few Americans, Democrat or Republican, who oppose his
program.
Sheriff Warren is not alone in dealing with the illegal
immigration crisis. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, jailers
throughout the nation have identified some 20,000 illegal immigrants using
cooperative agreements with federal enforcement officials. How many actually
initiated deportation procedures is unknown. Regardless, that number is just a
drop in the bucket.
The fact is that most sheriffs and police
departments in America have not gone to the trouble of obtaining federal
training, much less have they taken the additional step of initiating
deportation proceedings against those who are illegally in the country -- which
in and of itself is breaking the law -- and then violate the law while illegally
here.
One reason we don't see a nationwide run on such tight enforcement
is, big shock, Washington hasn't provided enough funding to educate every local
law enforcement agency, nor has money been appropriated to handle the deluge of
deportations that would occur should every sheriff or police chief decide to
follow the lead of Warren and others who have implemented such aggressive
programs.
Perhaps if Congress wanted to get back into the good graces of
the American people with respect to this entire immigration issue, it could
start by embracing the efforts of those like Sheriff Warren and join with the
Bush administration in at least funding this effort to send "illegal illegals"
back home. I know if I were running for re-election to the Senate or for
president, I'd want my picture taken with Sheriff Neil Warren of Georgia. At
least he's doing something about an issue that Americans want addressed.
It sure seems to point the finger in the direction of Washington D.C. about not funding our Immigration enforcement. If anyone watches our Federal Government long enough, you will see that they will pass laws and create departments to deal with a problem, but if anyone disagrees with what it does, even if wanted by a mass majority of Americans, they cut the budget.
Many Americans do not know that there are federal departments which are so under funded that they only exist in essence and little more. It isn't that these people work for our government do not do good work, or that they are not needed, it is because they have no money.
If you, as I, want to see this improved on, we need to let our elected officals know we want action, and if nothing happens, kick them out.
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