Kenders' Musings

The 32 men arrested Saturday morning at the Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center were participating in a county work release program as an alternative to serving time in jail.

What they received instead was a one way trip to their country of origin, courtesy of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). I must say getting yourself deported is, in fact, a community service so at the very least maybe these guys should be credited with finishing the program.

Their arrests come as a result of a sweeping program in which local and federal authorities work together to find, apprehend and deport illegal immigrant criminals.

It's about time. Enforcement works. Of course some are complaining because these guys were "low-risk, nonviolent offenders." An offender is an offender, and an illegal alien is an illegal alien, period end of quote.

"One of the concerns with the current implementation of the agreement is they said it would be for hard-core criminals and felons," said Emilio Amaya, executive director of the San Bernardino Community Service Center, a nonprofit that helps people going through the deportation process. "Most of the people are being detained for misdemeanors."

Whether it’s a hard core offense or misdemeanor offense shouldn't matter. They need to be deported ASAP. Illegal aliens, when found, should get nothing beyond a swift kick in the behind over the border to their country of origin. It's is the only thing we owe them. Better yet, maybe we should start billing the alien for the cost of sending them back, and explain to them if they wish to return they must pay their bill and wait in line like everyone else.

In 2005, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department entered into a partnership with federal immigration authorities to screen for criminal immigrants serving time in county jails.

Under that agreement, federal immigration agents were waiting Saturday morning at the back of the Glen Helen jail where people check in for the work release program.

"When they signed in to serve the time they were sentenced to, they were interviewed and found to be undocumented," said sheriff's spokeswoman Jodi Miller.

Miller said the degree of the offense doesn't make a difference to federal authorities.

"Anyone who goes into the jail facility, despite what their crime may be, they are possibly subject to being screened by Immigration and Customs Enforcement," Miller said.

emphasis mine

Let me say it again so we are all on the same page. The degree of offense should make no difference at all. Being illegal should supersede all other issues. Once they serve their time they should be deported straight away, and if they have committed a felony they should be told they are no longer welcome, EVER! Of course I would feel better is Sheriff’s Spokewoman Jodi Miller has dropped the ”possibly” out of her statement and simply said “they are subject to being screened by Immigration and Customs Enforcement." I think “will be screened” is even better.

"We are seeking to expand our efforts to identify and remove foreign nationals who have been convicted of violations of law in the United States and are in the country illegally," said Virginia Kice, Orange County-based spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a division of the Department of Homeland Security.

Anyone in the country illegally - especially someone with a criminal record - is subject to immigration enforcement action, Kice said.

emphasis again mine

You folks out there screaming racism about immigration enforcement need to understand that last bit with the emphasis. Let me say it again so you get it.

Anyone in the country illegally - especially someone with a criminal record - is subject to immigration enforcement action, Kice said.

As an "Oh By The Way" moment go read this article when you have a second. It is a great response to all the people screaming racism.

Back on topic;

"Someone may say that misdemeanor violations should not be a priority, but there is a very real possibility they could go out and commit a more serious offense that has heartbreaking consequences for the community," Kice said. "What if a person who has a DUI conviction gets behind the wheel several months from now and has an accident that claims the life of several innocent victims? Why would we allow that to happen?"

emphasis again mine

Perfectly stated. Why would they let that happen? The deportation of illegals wherever found is exactly what ICE is supposed to be doing. By deporting illegals they are ridding our society of a group of people who have shown by their very presence in our country the laws do not matter to them. We have more than enough of our own homegrown criminals whom we can't deport.

Why would we want to import more of them?