Illegal Aliens In Car Crashes

[Double A]

From KOTV:

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Illegal Immigrants, A Costly Problem
KOTV - 3/1/2007 9:48 AM - Updated 3/1/2007 9:49 AM

The U.S. Department of Justice recently audited 100 illegal immigrants arrested for criminal activity in 2004. Results showed 73 of them re-offended a total of 429 times. The Justice Department calls them 'criminal aliens.'

During the year of the audit, there were more than 260,000 'criminal aliens' in America. Too often, results showed local authorities "catch and release" 'criminal aliens,' without contacting immigration officials.

News On 6 anchor Tami Marler says there are more than 12 million illegal immigrants in America. The vast majority of them come to work and support their families. As with any group, there will be exceptions.

With two grown kids and JC heading off to college in a few years, Robin and Randy Burger were looking forward to the future until Robin got a call from an ER nurse, just after Christmas. "She had to let me know that my husband had been in a car accident and I said 'Is he okay?' and I just knew," says Robin Burger. Robin says she couldn't breathe when she learned she'd lost her husband of 28 years, the Burger family's rock. "He was real. He was a real person. He believed in the Lord and he believed in certain values and people that knew him knew that."

"From my understanding, the police report said the vehicle was coming down the feeder road here, ran the stop sign," says Bruce Delay. Delay says Randy was one of the best men he's ever known so he learned all he could about the man, Tulsa Police say sped through a stop sign and killed his friend. Bruce Delay adds, "his name is Gregorio Rodriguez. He was booked into the county jail and was charged with negligent homicide." Rodriguez is currently free on bond.

Records show his public defender filed a pauper's affidavit, which would waive Rodriguez's legal costs, including a court-appointed interpreter. His attorney could not comment on the case, or Rodriguez's immigration status. "I have determined to follow this case through to the end because I'm seeing and hearing too much about illegal aliens causing accidents without drivers license, no insurance, things like that. They could very well be wanted felons who have committed some very serious crimes, including murder," says Bruce Delay.

Jim Gilchrist brought his MinuteMan Project message to Tulsa recently with a warning for cities that fail to enforce immigration law. "If you do not enforce those laws, even if you don't have a budget allocated for it, it will cost you dearly."

The News On 6 went through more than 100 records and found dozens of suspects who have several aliases, or fake identification, or none at all. Are they here illegally? The News On 6 learned that Tulsa Police are not even allowed to ask. In an effort to enhance trust in the community, Tulsa Police officers cannot enforce federal immigration law. They may request documentation for identification purposes only. Tulsa Police say even "legal" immigrants are reluctant to cooperate in criminal investigations if they fear deportation. Jim Gilchrist says sanctuary policies fail the public. "We had 15 times the deaths since 9-11 at the hands of illegal aliens in the United States than we have had at the hands of insurgents in Iraq."

Jesus Hernandez is in the Tulsa jail on two murder charges. Records show Hernandez was convicted in 2000 for driving-while-impaired, without lights, license or insurance. He received a suspended sentence, then accumulated three aliases, three more convictions with deferred or suspended sentences. Last year, an arrest warrant was issued when Hernandez violated the terms of his latest deal. Within months, Tulsa Police say Hernandez stabbed to death a young woman and her unborn child in a Tulsa apartment complex. Seven years in and out of jails and courtrooms, it took two murder charges to warrant an immigration hold.

"This is a great tool for the taxpayers in Tulsa," says Tulsa County Undersheriff Brian Edwards. Edwards says cases like Hernandez's will change when the Tulsa County Sheriff's office achieves 287(g) status. Federally funded training will allow deputies and jailers to enforce immigration law. "The deputies would have the ability to go through the process of placing detainers and beginning the deportation process for that particular individual."

"I've seen a lot of positive things come from his death and I'm looking for those positive things. I don't want it to be in vain," says Robin Burger. Robin says she and her children find comfort in knowing Randy's in heaven. Still, they miss his steady guidance. "Him being there to tell ya how to do stuff when you don't know how. Oh yeah he could do anything he wanted to if he set his mind to it. You think you can too? If I try," says Randy's son JC Burger.

The News On 6 spoke with some immigrant advocates who said no one approves of criminal activity, whether the suspect is in the country legally or illegally. Opponents of 287(g) fear law enforcement would use it as an excuse to racially profile. Jurisdictions that have already implemented it say they've seen a decrease in crime, especially driving-related offenses.

The Tulsa County Sheriff's Office should be enforcing immigration law sometime in the summer.

To find out more about the Minuteman Project, click here.

For information about the U.S. Department of Justice and 287(g), click here.
   

[TheArtist]

Now my assumption would be that if you don't have an id and or weren't able to come up with one immediately, or some sort of proof that you are who you say you are,,, that you would be held until you do come up with some form of valid ID or proof of citizenship?  And you definitely would be held if you had a fake ID and they couldn't figure out who you really were, if you were an illegal immigrant or not they shouldn't let you back out on the streets, thats absurd. You could be a terrorist for all they know. So how is it possible that these people can be caught and released, regardless of whether they are illegal aliens or not until they come up with some sort of proof of identity?  How can you release someone if you don't even know who they are?  Now THAT should be illegal.

[Wilbur]

Now my assumption would be that if you don't have an id and or weren't able to come up with one immediately, or some sort of proof that you are who you say you are,,, that you would be held until you do come up with some form of valid ID or proof of citizenship? And you definitely would be held if you had a fake ID and they couldn't figure out who you really were, if you were an illegal immigrant or not they shouldn't let you back out on the streets, thats absurd. You could be a terrorist for all they know. So how is it possible that these people can be caught and released, regardless of whether they are illegal aliens or not until they come up with some sort of proof of identity? How can you release someone if you don't even know who they are? Now THAT should be illegal.

Are you saying there is a law someplace that requires everyone to carry identification?  And if the police encounter you, and you don't have ID, you go to jail?

[Ed W]

Are you saying there is a law someplace that requires everyone to carry identification? And if the police encounter you, and you don't have ID, you go to jail?

Usually, you have to provide proof of identity that meets the officer's satisfaction.  In other words, if you offer your library card as a government issued ID, he may not accept it.  Likewise with a work ID even if it includes a photo.  What they really want to see is a driver's license because they can run it against state, local, and federal databases.  A friend of mine offered his passport as proof of identity because he didn't HAVE a driver's license.  The local cop refused it!  If all they were looking for was valid identification, it should have sufficed.

Some years back, police in a California city (I forget which one) were stopping anyone for identity checks - if they happened to be black in the white part of town.  If I recall right, the Supremes said that this was illegal unless there was a valid reason for stopping the person.  

American citizens shouldn't have to stop and show documents just to move around within their own country.  Yet when law enforcement and the ever-paranoid Homeland Security get involved, that all goes away in the hunt for supposed illegals and terrorists.  It isn't a big jump to realize this becomes justification for stopping  anyone with brown skin or Arab features.  

[Double A]

The people in question are ones who have been arrested for a violation and charged with a crime. There's a big difference. What you are talking about isn't even relevant to the topic being discussed.

[Wilbur]

Usually, you have to provide proof of identity that meets the officer's satisfaction.

There is absolutely no law that requires anyone to carry any form of identification.  While the officer may prefer to have some sort of identification from the person they encounter, the officer certainly can not arrest someone just because the person can't prove who they are with some type of ID card.

[TheArtist]

I was assuming in this conversation that the person was already under arrest or had been stopped by the police because they had committed a violation of some sort. You couldn't even write up a traffic ticket if you didnt know who the person was. If they were under arrest for something, how could you then release them if you didn't know who they were?

[Double A]

quote:Originally posted by Wilbur

Usually, you have to provide proof of identity that meets the officer's satisfaction.

There is absolutely no law that requires anyone to carry any form of identification.  While the officer may prefer to have some sort of identification from the person they encounter, the officer certainly can not arrest someone just because the person can't prove who they are with some type of ID card.

Why do you keep trying to distort 287g into something it is not? Once again, this deals only with people who have been arrested and charged with a crime.

[Conan71]

Whad'ya bet Gregorio Rodriguez is back in Mexico?  Go back for a few years, then sneak back in to another state with another name and ID's.