illegal immigration

A CIS visit to the improvised caravan migrant shelter at Piedras Negras, Mexico

PIEDRAS NEGRAS, Mexico, February 18, 2019 — Inside the sprawling ceramics factory where the Mexican government has detained the latest migrant caravan, a process is underway virtually guaranteeing that almost everyone here will soon be granted exactly what they came for: an opportunity to breach the U.S. southern border, exploit the American catch-and-release loophole by claiming asylum, and add themselves to the millions already living in the country illegally.

This caravan of some 2,000 mostly Hondurans, with a smattering of Salvadorans and Guatemalans, began arriving on February 8, but was unable to rush the American border en masse because the Mexican government detained them all first in the Piedras Negras ceramics factory, surrounding it with troops and state and local police forces. Preventing a mass swim across the Rio Grande, that would have been covered by international media, may have improved political optics for both the Mexicans and the Americans, and the state of Coahuila announced that it will close the improvised shelter sometime this week after several riots and disturbances by those demanding release to the U.S. border.

However, the process that will enable Mexico to accomplish such a quick shelter closure portends an unseen, very different outcome than the one intended by U.S. administration officials and current immigration policy. The process also portends precisely the outcome sought by everyone in this caravan and in any future ones. Under the auspices of a special visa program, Mexico is essentially dispersing the migrants around northern Mexico where they will be free to try their luck crossing other parts of the American southern border and to then access the much-prized American catch-and-release loophole they have always sought, though in smaller, less visible-groups.

In one section of the Piedras Negras camp last Thursday, CIS observed hundreds of migrants waiting in line to apply for special Mexican work visas of a year duration. At the same time, in another area of the camp, hundreds more migrants with those visas freshly in hand gathered as Mexican immigration officials called out the names of the 100-applicant groups that will be put on at least one waiting bus to some other Mexican city, such as Monterrey or Hermosillo, ostensibly to live and work for the year. And in a third area is the line to board the big, sleek bus parked inside the factory with a hand-written sign on the door that reads: "Salida Monterrey".

It is through this process that the caravan population is being inexorably reduced each day and dispersed in small groups to other parts of northern Mexico.

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 [To see this entire, detailed, article online and view the numerous colored photographs of people and places mentioned, click here:  https://cis.org/Bensman/Mexicos-Dispersal-Latest-Caravan-Simply-Frees-Migrants-Cross-US-Border-Less-Visibly] Read more about Mexico's dispersal of latest caravan simply frees migrants to cross the U.S. border less visibly

The United States having a significant foreign national population residing within the nations boundaries, be they legally or illegally present in the country, unfortunately includes those who commit crimes.

The extent and impact of foreign national crime on the U.S. citizens and residents of this country is clearly revealed by a simple search on the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) inmates statistics website under the heading of inmate citizenship.

Here are the countries of origin, moreover, the number and percentage of those countries citizens recently incarcerated in the U.S. BOP prison system (Note: The most recent BOP crime numbers available were from January 26, 2019.).

Inmate Citizenship:

- México 21,691 inmates, 12.1 percent;
- Colombia 1,648 inmates, 0.9 percent;
- Dominican Republic 1,443 inmates, 0.8 percent;
- Cuba 1,192 inmates, 0.7 percent;
- Other / unknown countries 8,804 inmates, 4.9 percent;
- United States 145,133 inmates, 80.7 percent;

Total Inmates: 179,911 inmates.

To explain the meaning of these preceding criminal alien inmate numbers and percentages, I will translate them into words:

Combining January 26th BOP criminal alien inmate numbers, there were 34,778 criminal aliens in the BOP prison system. Alien inmates were 19.3 percent of the federal prison population.

With 21,691 Mexican nationals being incarcerated in the BOP prison system, at 62.4 percent, they were the vast majority of criminal aliens in federal prisons.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons breaks down the federal prison population into 13 types of offenses. One of the top five offenses, the reason inmates are serving time in federal prisons is for immigration crimes. There were 10,778 inmates in the BOP prison system incarcerated for immigration crimes; they were 6.4 percent of the federal prison population.

David Olen Cross of Salem, Oregon is crime researcher who writes on immigration issues and foreign national crime. The preceding report is a service to federal, state, county and city elected and non elected governmental officials to help them assess the impact of foreign national crime in the United States of America. He can be reached at docfnc@yahoo.com. His past crime reports can be found at http://docfnc.wordpress.com/. Read more about U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons: Criminal Alien Report January 2019

SALEM, Oregon – The Oregon Department of Corrections reports that of Oregon’s 14,780 prison inmates, 909 of them are illegal aliens identified by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and have ICE detainers placed on them. The undocumented aliens in prison constitute 6.15 percent of the total prison population.

Illegal aliens convicted in Umatilla County number 25, or 2.75 percent. That’s seventh highest among Oregon counties. Marion County has the highest number – 222 inmates accounting for 24.42 percent. It’s followed by Washington (192), Multnomah (172), Clackamas (76), Lane (42), and Jackson (33) counties. In Eastern Oregon, only Morrow and Union counties show up in the count, each with two illegal aliens convicted there.

Statewide, 189 of those inmates have been convicted of sex abuse, 169 of rape, and 131 of homicide. Sodomy is the charge against 99 of them. The rest committed numerous other crimes including drugs, assault, kidnapping and burglary.

Of the inmates convicted in Umatilla County, homicide is the most frequent charge with nine convicted. Several were convicted of sex crimes. Other offenses include assault, drugs, and kidnapping.

A total of 726 of the ICE-detained inmates, or 79.87 percent are from Mexico. Twenty two are from Guatemala, 15 from Cuba, 14 from Vietnam, 13 from El Salvador, and 11 from Honduras. Other countries with single-digit numbers are Laos, Federated States of Micronesia, Russia, Canada, Ukraine, Cambodia, China, Ecuador, Peru, and South Korea. A total of 62 of them have not declared their country of origin.
  Read more about ODOC counts illegal alien inmates

The Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) January 1, 2019 Inmate Population Profile
indicated there were 14,780 inmates incarcerated in the DOC’s 14 prisons.

Data obtained from the DOC indicated that on January 1st there were 909 foreign nationals (criminal aliens) incarcerated in the state’s prison system; criminal aliens were 6.15 percent of the total prison population.

Some background information, all the criminal aliens incarcerated in the DOC prison system were identified by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and have ICE detainers placed on them.

Using DOC Inmate Population Profiles and ICE detainer numbers, the following table reveals the total number inmates, the number of domestic and criminal alien inmates along with the percentage of inmates with ICE detainers incarcerated on January 1st in the state’s prisons.

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 January 19 and Inmate Population Profile 01 January 19.

Using DOC ICE detainer numbers, the following table reveals the number and percentage of criminal alien prisoners incarcerated on January 1st that were sent  to prison from the state’s 36 counties.

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 January 19.

Here are the ways Oregon residents were victimized by the 909 criminal aliens.

Using DOC ICE detainer numbers, the following table reveals the number and percentage of criminal alien prisoners incarcerated on January 1st by type of crime.

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 January 19.

Using the DOC Inmate Population Profile and ICE detainer numbers from January 1st, the following table reveals the total number inmates by crime type, the number of domestic and criminal alien prisoners incarcerated by type of crime and the percentage of those crimes committed by criminal aliens.

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 January 19 and Inmate Population Profile 01 January 19.

Using DOC ICE detainer numbers, the following table reveals the self-declared countries of origin of the 909 criminal alien prisoners by number and percentage incarcerated on January 1st in the state’s prisons.

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 January 19.

Beyond the DOC criminal alien incarceration numbers and incarceration percentages, per county and per crime type, or even country of origin, criminal aliens place a substantial economic burden on Oregonians.

An individual prisoner incarcerated in the DOC prison system costs the state approximately ($108.26) per day.

The DOC’s incarceration cost for its 909 criminal alien prison population is approximately ($98,408.34) per day, ($688,858.38) per week, and ($35,919,044.10) per year.

None of preceding cost estimates for the DOC to incarcerate the 909 criminal aliens includes the dollar amount for legal services (indigent defense), language interpreters, court costs, or victim assistance.

Bibliography

Oregon Department of Corrections Inmate Population Profile January 1, 2019:
https://www.oregon.gov/doc/RESRCH/docs/inmate_profile_201901.pdf

Oregon Department of Corrections Population Profile (unpublished MS Excel workbook) titled Incarcerated Criminal Aliens Report dated January 1, 2019.

Oregon Department of Corrections Issue Brief Quick Facts IB-53, February 1, 2017:
http://www.oregon.gov/doc/OC/docs/pdf/IB-53-Quick%20Facts.pdf

David Olen Cross of Salem, Oregon is crime researcher who writes on immigration issues and foreign national crime. The preceding report is a service to Oregon state, county and city governmental officials to help them assess the impact of foreign national crime in the state. He can be reached at docfnc@yahoo.com. His past crime reports can be found at http://docfnc.wordpress.com/.

https://docfnc.wordpress.com/2019/02/11/oregon-department-of-corrections-criminal-alien-report-january-2019/ Read more about Oregon Department of Corrections: Criminal Alien Report January 2019

More than a dozen community organizations have accused the Lane County Sheriff’s Office of violating Oregon’s “sanctuary” law, but Sheriff Byron Trapp has denied the allegations and said his office is in full compliance with all laws.

The law, enacted in 1987 and affirmed by Oregon voters in November, says law enforcement agencies can not use personnel, money or equipment for the purpose of detecting or apprehending individuals who are only violating federal immigration laws.

In a Feb. 1 letter, the organizations outlined two specific examples that they said shows the sheriff’s office is violating the law. One specific concern is the jail notifying U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the pending release of an individual whom the federal agency has signaled an intent to take into custody upon release. The other concern is allowing ICE agents access into the jail.

“I don’t think the motives of the sheriff’s office are suspect. They’re trying to be a good community partner,” said Brook Reinhard, executive director of Public Defender Services of Lane County, which signed the letter. “Using the phone system or using any part of a county building is violating the statute. I don’t think it’s nefarious or anything like that.”

Other organizations that signed the letter include Causa, an immigrant rights organization, the Eugene Human Rights Commission, Centro Latino Americano, and the ACLU of Oregon.

The sheriff said he and his employees “recognize our duty to enforce the law and certainly we can’t put ourselves in the position of violating law and we will not do that.”

Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Lane County Sheriff’s Office on Friday, demanding the sheriff address the organizations’ concerns, according to KLCC. County commissioners also are expected to hear the concerns at their meeting Tuesday.

Also on Friday, a Wasco County judge ruled that officials with the Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facilities, or NORCOR, a regional jail in The Dalles, were violating the Oregon sanctuary law by notifying ICE when the jail is scheduled to release a foreign-born individual. The ramifications of the ruling, which is expected to be appealed, on Lane County is unclear.

The organizations sent the letter to Trapp on the same week that the Lane County Circuit Court canceled a trial for an individual who was arrested by ICE in December after his family posted bail, Reinhard said. The client and his family reported that county employees led him into a room in the jail’s sally port to show him how to use an ignition interlock device and two ICE agents were waiting to apprehend him, he said. The jail had notified ICE of the individual’s pending release, the letter said.

Around the same time, ICE agents arrested an individual at a provider’s office to attend court-ordered alcohol treatment, Reinhard said. The lawyer said the sheriff’s office had no involvement in that arrest.

Trapp said the jail will notify ICE they’ve begun the release process for an individual but only after the federal agency has made a specific request for that individual. Usually, the jail staff don’t know the immigration status of the individual being booked, he said.

The sheriff said it’s the same notification process the jail follows if any other local, state or federal law enforcement agency inquires about the release of an individual that they want to interview or otherwise make contact with. And it’s the same process the jail uses when residents call to ask about the release status of a family member or assailant, he said.

“We’re not doing anything unique or different (with ICE) than we do for ... law enforcement or non-law-enforcement citizens of our community,” Trapp said.

In the Wasco County case, NORCOR was notifying ICE when it was scheduled to release a foreign-born individual. Again, Trapp said the jail only notifies ICE of the release of individuals after ICE has made a specific request.

ICE agents use the same front door to enter and exit the jail that every other federal, state and local law enforcement agency uses, Trapp said. He said the organizations falsely accused the sheriff’s office of allowing ICE “special access to the back entrance” of the building.

The organizations demanded in the letter that Trapp cease the disputed practices, confirm he has done so and provide any revised instructions, policies or guidelines.

Trapp, who said he’s had prior conversations with many of the organization about his office’s relationship with ICE, isn’t planning to respond to the letter. Read more about Lane County Sheriff″s Office accused of violating Oregon ‘sanctuary’ law

A Wasco County judge ruled Friday that two immigration enforcement practices at the Northern Oregon Regional Corrections Center violate the state’s sanctuary law but upheld the jail’s contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The jail in The Dalles houses inmates for Wasco, Hood River, Sherman and Gilliam counties. But under an interagency agreement reached in 1999, it also has housed people detained by ICE on illegal immigration allegations.

Wasco County Circuit Judge John Wolf found that the regional jail’s past policy of notifying ICE agents of scheduled releases of inmates in state or local criminal cases violated Oregon law...

The judge also ruled the jail can’t hold inmates for ICE beyond the time that they would face for their criminal charge.

Yet the judge didn’t nullify the regional jail’s contract with the federal immigration enforcement agency.

The jail’s contract “to accept and provide for secure custody’’ of federal detainees didn’t violate state law, Wolf ruled. The judge considered the “ordinary meaning’’ of the word “apprehending’’ from the state sanctuary law to mean arresting or seizing someone, not holding someone in jail.

Wolf’s ruling means ICE will still be able to house at the regional jail people it detains for alleged immigration violations...

DOCUMENT: Judge’s ruling

The plaintiffs -- Wasco County taxpayers who filed the lawsuit in 2017 -- and the regional jail each declared a win...

Attorney Derek Ashton, who represents the regional jail, said he was pleased with the decision upholding the jail’s contract with ICE.

“The contract at issue is critical to NORCOR’s budget and operations and eases a tax burden on the people of Wasco, Hood River, Sherman and Gilliam counties,” he said in a statement. “Today’s decision ensures that critical funding source will remain in place.”

The plaintiffs had alleged misuse of tax revenues for immigration enforcement. They established it costs $97 a day to house an inmate at the jail, and ICE reimburses the jail $80 an inmate.

As the suit was pending, the regional jail changed its policy in April.

... ICE would pay NORCOR to house the inmates once the “paper transfer’’ was done.

But the judge said that the form wasn’t an arrest warrant, didn’t show any show probable cause and wasn’t signed by a judge.

“When a state or local inmate is no longer subject to custody on those charges, NORCOR does not have authority to maintain custody and must release the inmate,” Wolf ruled.

Since April, the jail has informed ICE of an inmate’s date of release, and if federal agents are present at the jail they may arrest the person in the lobby or the person is free to leave. A released inmate arrested by ICE in the lobby may be turned back to NORCOR to be held under the interagency agreement.

The judge’s ruled Friday, however, that any release notification by the jail to the federal agency violated the state’s sanctuary law.

The jail, though, can verify the immigration status of a person arrested for any criminal offense during the booking process. The jail notifies ICE when a foreign-born person is booked into the jail on state or local charges, either through the Law Enforcement Data System or the National Crime Information Center data system, or through an email or fax.

State lawmakers who adopted Oregon’s sanctuary law were clear that they intended to allow law enforcement officials to notify ICE about arrests so ICE to could follow up on their own, the judge found....

The Wasco County judge’s ruling likely won’t be the last on this issue, as both sides may appeal. Read more about Judge rules NORCOR can’t notify ICE of inmate releases but can house ICE detainees

Information obtained from the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) indicated on December 1, 2018 that 99 of 905 foreign nationals (criminal aliens) in the state’s prison system were incarcerated for the crime of sodomy — 10.94 percent of the criminal alien prison population (Note: The number of criminal aliens incarcerated for sodomy in DOC prisons does not necessarily equal the number of Oregon residents victimized by the crime of sodomy).

Using DOC U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) immigration detainer numbers, the following table reveals the total number of criminal alien inmates along with the number and percentage of those alien inmates incarcerated on December 1st in the state’s prisons for the crime of sodomy.

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 December 18.

The 99 criminal aliens in the DOC prison system incarcerated for sodomy were 9.42 percent of all inmates, domestic and foreign, in the state’s prisons for the crime of sodomy.

Using the DOC Inmate Population Profile and ICE immigration detainer numbers from December 1st, the following table reveals the total number inmates incarcerated for sodomy, the number of domestic and criminal alien inmates incarcerated for sodomy and the percentage of criminal aliens incarcerated for the crime of sodomy.

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 December 18 and Inmate Population Profile 01 December 18.

Criminal aliens incarcerated in DOC prisons committed at least one crime of sodomy in 16 of 36 Oregon counties — 44.44 percent of the counties in the state.

Five Oregon counties, Marion (32 aliens in prison for sodomy), Washington (21 aliens in prison for sodomy), Multnomah (16 aliens in prison for sodomy), Clackamas (5 aliens in prison for sodomy) and Lane (5 aliens in prison for sodomy) had 79 of 99 criminal alien inmates incarcerated in DOC prisons for the crime of sodomy — 79.80 percent of the alien inmates incarcerated in the state’s prisons for sodomy.

Using DOC ICE immigration detainer numbers, the following table reveals the number and percentage of criminal alien inmates incarcerated on December 1st that were sent to prison from the state’s 36 counties for the crime of sodomy.

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 December 18.

Criminal aliens from 14 identified countries incarcerated in DOC prisons have criminally sodomized Oregon residents.

Foreign nationals who declared their country or origin as being Mexico were 78 of 99 criminal aliens convicted of sodomy incarcerated in the DOC prison system — 78.79 percent of the alien inmates incarcerated in the state’s prisons for sodomy.

Using DOC ICE immigration detainer numbers, the following table reveals the self-declared countries of origin of the 99 criminal alien inmates by number and percentage incarcerated on December 1st in the state’s prisons for the crime of sodomy.

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 December 18.

David Olen Cross of Salem, Oregon writes on immigration issues and foreign national crime. The preceding report is a service to Oregon state, county and city governmental officials to help them assess the impact of foreign national crime in the state. He can be reached at docfnc@yahoo.com. His past crime reports can be found at http://docfnc.wordpress.com/. Read more about Oregon Department of Corrections: Foreign National Sodomy Report December 2018