Illegals fill jail that Metro plan is based on
Federal authorities can't process N.C. detainees fast enough
By CHRISTIAN BOTTORFF
Staff Writer
Illegal immigrants facing criminal charges are crowding a North Carolina jail that serves as the model for Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall's plan to hold such immigrants here for deportation hearings.
The Charlotte, N.C., jail is full because federal authorities can't pick up inmates facing deportation hearings quickly enough, the Mecklenburg County sheriff said in a congressional hearing last month.
Also, a 1,500-inmate facility in Georgia has been approved to house immigration detainees beginning in October, and Pendergraph said he is hopeful that will relieve the crowding further.
The demand for capacity to house illegal immigrants also has prompted federal officials to consider building a federal detention center in the Charlotte area, the sheriff said.
The jail is overflowing with inmates as a result of a new program that puts deportation holds on people who are identified as illegal immigrants when they pass through the county lockup.
Nashville has applied for computer hardware, training and other support that would help local jailers do the same.
But in testimony Aug. 25 before Congress, Mecklenburg County Sheriff Jim Pendergraph said the federal government has been overwhelmed by the demand for pickups and transfers of illegal immigrants to federal facilities.
"So many illegal immigrant criminals have been identified through my ... program, it is causing me a jail space problem," Pendergraph said.
"(The) Removal and Detention Division of (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is overwhelmed by the numbers we are generating for removal in Mecklenberg County alone."
Still, Pendergraph said, "I'd recommend (this program) to every sheriff in the U.S."
"It is getting people out of our community who are committing crimes who had no business being here anyway.
"We certainly don't need any more lawbreakers in our community, especially among people who are in the country illegally."
Since May, Pendergraph said, federal officials have removed 550 people for deportation proceedings, many of whom would not otherwise have been identified.
Under the program, federal immigration computers and a full-time immigration officer are placed at local jails, allowing specially trained deputies to check the immigration status of every prisoner.
Hall sent a letter Aug. 15 to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security seeking to bring the program to the Metro Jail.
The request came after several high-profile crimes in the Midstate this year involving illegal immigrants. In several cases, the illegal immigrants had been arrested several times — and not deported — before going on to commit more serious crimes.
Nashville now sends notice to federal authorities in Vermont each time a foreign-born person is booked. Federal authorities are supposed to research the inmate's immigration status and request that a hold be placed, ensuring that the prisoner remains in custody until he can be turned over to immigration officers.
But those holds are being requested in only a fraction of cases, those in which the inmate's crime is at least an aggravated felony, Hall has said.
Thus, in the majority of arrests involving illegal immigrants, no hold is placed and the inmates are released from custody despite their immigration status.
By putting immigration computers and a full-time immigration officer in the Metro Jail, local deputies would have the ability to check every prisoner's immigration status during booking and place holds on those in the country illegally.
Those prisoners would then be held in the Metro Jail until they could be picked up by immigration officers for deportation proceedings.
But it remains unclear whether federal authorities will be able to sufficiently increase their capacity to pick up illegal immigrants from Nashville. During the past fiscal year, immigration holds were placed on 151 inmates, jail officials said. Under the new program, sheriff's officials estimate roughly 3,000 inmates will be identified for deportation each year.
Hall said there are 400 available jail beds in Davidson County, so he doesn't believe that keeping illegal immigrants in the county system longer would lead to crowding in the near term.
And the sheriff said local officials have little choice but to find a way to keep illegal immigrants who commit crimes off the streets.
"I'm not concerned about them being removed in a timely way, given that we have 400 beds," Hall said, adding, "We have to cross all that when we get there."
Local officials also hope that the increased immigration enforcement will act as a deterrent, reducing the number of illegal immigrants who pass through Nashville's lockup, Hall said.
In an interview last week, Pendergraph, the Mecklenburg County sheriff, said the crowding in Charlotte has begun to ease a bit after the federal government increased the number of bus trips taking inmates to deportation hearings from once to twice a week.
2006-09-26 09:34:03 · 19 answers · asked by Zoe 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Immigration
Why not build a detention centre?
We have one in Australia, Called baxter, If you come to Australia without a VISA, that is where you go & you WAIT till your VISA is approved. It works perfectly, I have no issue with people who come here LEGALLY. ILLEGALS are an issue.
2006-09-26 09:37:33 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 2⤋
Wow, I didn't read the whole thing, but I'm sure illegal immigrants are crowding jails all over the country.
It's a pity that the issue gets clouded when people say "we're all immigrants." That is true, but the issue is legality. We are all immigrants, but most of us or our relatives went through the process legally and became American citizens. Most of the criminal immigrants have no desire to become citizens. They just want our free handouts and free schooling for their kids because they can't get that in the oppressive countries they come from.
It's a dangerous situation that needs a good solution. If it continues they way it's going we will no longer have a country at all.
2006-09-26 09:47:09 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Interesting. Go ahead and cut and paste-I prefer it over links that might not be to my liking. Ofter a link if you so desire-but I like seeing the post out there to read.
I agree me need a better way to speed things up in our Justice system. Many are unhappy with it.
Scoop-high society wannabe. Tarti. Finger on the cheek duh. Go tell your little club I think scoop is a good name for you. The kind they use for cat boxes. Many don't know the difference between pearls and imitations. Know matter how much money and education you get you will still be a tarti. There is a difference between sleek and sleaze-fortunately for you few know the difference. Now go tell you group that. Maybe they will help you-I could care less. Maybe some have the sense to know the difference.
Just so you know I do know when a post is a troll or not.
2006-09-26 15:41:29 · answer #3 · answered by *** The Earth has Hadenough*** 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I Think Deportation Hearings Are Unnecessary
If One Cannot Produce Proof Of Citizenship Status
Or If One's VISA Is Expired
One Is An ILLEGAL ALIEN
All ILLEGAL ALIENS Should Be Deported Upon Discovery
No Judge
No Jury
Guilty As Charged
Penalty : Immediate Deportation
2006-09-26 10:04:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
Illegal Immigrants crowding a jail is the least of my concerns. Illegal Immigrants crowding every inch of my life is a bigger concern. I can't turn my head without seeing Illegal Immigrants.
They are like cattle that need to be shipped back home.
2006-09-26 09:41:33 · answer #5 · answered by Ricky B 3 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Criminal Record Search Database : http://www.InfoSearchDetective.com
2015-09-13 16:50:13 · answer #6 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't care how many beds are available, none of them should be taken up by illegal immigrants for longer than time to gas up a vehicle and head south! They are Mexico's problem, not America's. Our small community in southern middle Tennessee is overwhelmed with illegal immigrants and they keep our police officers busy and our court system behind schedule. When are American citizens going to say enough is enough?
2006-09-26 09:42:22 · answer #7 · answered by missingora 7 · 5⤊ 2⤋
Man why do you have to cut and paste sh*t? write your own concerns. Amen Ricky! All illegals should be shipped off and never have the opportunity to come back. Americans break the law and they suffer the consequences, but illegal aliens just continue to live life like it is nothing!
2006-09-26 10:05:52 · answer #8 · answered by metalicgirl69 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Ok, fine, you know how to cut and paste.
What's with the Sybilprincess going around giving cyberslaps and smacks? She is totally losing it. Ha Ha Ha She's Mexican and looking for a seat in the Oreo club. Yahoo smacked you! Yahoo will continue to slam dunk you!
2006-09-26 22:17:02 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Its so annoying when people cut and paste, dont you have a brain and ask an intelligent question? Only in the immigration I find you morons....
2006-09-26 13:27:51 · answer #10 · answered by D 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋