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Information obtained from the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) indicated on October 1, 2018 that 738 of the 919 foreign nationals (criminal aliens) in the state’s prison system were Mexican nationals — 80.30 percent of the criminal alien prison population (Note: The number of Mexican nationals incarcerated in DOC prisons does not necessarily equal the number of Oregon residents victimized by this specific group of criminal aliens).

Using DOC U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) immigration detainer numbers, the following table reveals the total number criminal alien inmates along with the number and percentage of those alien inmates incarcerated on October 1st in the state’s prisons who declared themselves as being Mexican nationals.
 

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

Mexican (MEX) national criminals were sent to DOC prisons from 27 of 36 Oregon counties —75.00 percent of the counties in the state.

Six Oregon counties, Marion (197 MEX inmates), Washington (150 MEX inmates), Multnomah (122 MEX inmates), Clackamas (64 MEX inmates), Lane (32 MEX inmates) and Jackson (27 MEX inmates) had 592 of the 738 Mexican national inmates incarcerated in DOC prisons — 80.22 percent of the criminal alien inmates.

Using DOC ICE detainer numbers, the following table reveals the number and percentage of Mexican national inmates incarcerated on October 1st that were sent  to prison from the state’s 36 counties.
 

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

Here are the ways Oregon residents were victimized by the 738 Mexican national criminals.

Using DOC ICE detainer numbers, the following table reveals the number and percentage of Mexican national inmates incarcerated on October 1st by type of crime.
 

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

Using the DOC ICE detainer numbers from October 1st, the following table reveals the total number of criminal alien inmates by crime type, the number of Mexican national inmates incarcerated by type of crime and the percentage of those crimes they committed.
 

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

Beyond the DOC Mexican national incarceration numbers and incarceration percentages, per county and per type of crime, criminal aliens from Mexico pose high economic cost 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 738 Mexican national inmates is approximately ($79,895.88) per day, ($559,271.16) per week, and ($29,161,996.20) per year.

None of preceding cost estimates for the DOC to incarcerate the 738 Mexican national inmates includes the dollar amount for legal services (indigent defense), language interpreters, court costs, or victim assistance.

Bibliography

Oregon Department of Corrections Population Profile (unpublished MS Excel workbook) titled Incarcerated Criminal Aliens Report dated October 1, 2018.

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 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: Mexican National Crime Report October 2018

Information obtained from the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) indicated on September 1, 2018 that 133 of the 920 foreign nationals (criminal aliens) in the state’s prison system were incarcerated for homicidal crimes (various degrees of murder and manslaughter) —14.46 percent of the criminal alien prison population

(Note: The number of criminal aliens incarcerated for homicidal crimes in DOC prisons does not necessarily equal the number of Oregon residents killed by alien homicidal violence).

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

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

Criminal aliens incarcerated in DOC prisons committed at least one crime of homicidal violence in 22 of 36 Oregon counties — 66.11 percent of the counties in the state.

Seven Oregon counties, Multnomah (36 alien inmates convicted of homicidal crimes), Marion (23 alien inmates convicted of homicidal crimes), Washington (21 alien inmates convicted of homicidal crimes), Umatilla (9 alien inmates convicted of homicidal crimes), Clackamas (7 alien inmates convicted of homicidal crimes), Lane (6 alien inmates convicted of homicidal crimes) and Jackson (5 alien inmates convicted of homicidal crimes) had 107of 133 criminal alien inmates incarcerated in DOC prisons for homicidal violence — 80.45 percent of the alien inmates in the state’s prisons for homicidal crimes.

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

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

Criminal aliens from 19 different countries have committed homicidal violence against Oregon residents.

Foreign nationals who declared their country or origin as being Mexico were 103 of 133 criminal aliens convicted of homicidal crimes incarcerated in the DOC prison system — 77.44 percent of the alien inmates in the state’s prisons for homicidal crimes.

Using DOC ICE immigration detainer numbers, the following table reveals the self-declared countries of origin of the 133 criminal alien inmates by number and percentage incarcerated on September 1st in the state’s prisons for homicidal crimes.
 

Source: Research and Evaluation DOC Report ICE inmates list 01 September 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 Homicide Report September 2018

On August 1, 2018 Oregon’s Multnomah County had 181 of the 923 foreign nationals (criminal aliens) incarcerated in the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) prison system; the county was third in foreign national crime in the state with 19.61 percent of the criminal aliens in DOC prisons.

The following table reveals how Multnomah County residents were harmed or victimized by the 181 criminal aliens incarcerated on August 1st in the DOC prison system with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ICE detainers.
 

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

This table reveals, using the DOC ICE detainer numbers from August 1st, the total number of criminal alien inmates incarcerated in the DOC prison system by type of crime from all Oregon counties, the total number of criminal alien inmates from Multnomah County in DOC prisons by type of crime and the percentage of those alien inmates who were from the county by type of crime.
 

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

The following table reveals the self-declared countries of origin of the majority of the 181 criminal aliens with ICE detainers who have harmed or victimized the residents Multnomah County in the DOC prison system.
 

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

Criminal aliens from 30 different countries have harmed or victimized Multnomah County residents.

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/. Read more about Oregon’s Multnomah County Third in Foreign National Crime in August 2018

Many thanks for publishing Clatsop County Sheriff Tom Bergin's spot-on commentary ("Measure 105 would restore respect for law," Sept. 20).

Oregon's sanctuary law, writes Sheriff Bergin, undermines respect for law by telling illegal immigrants "that Oregon considers immigration-law violations so inconsequential as to be unworthy of police and sheriffs' attention." He's right. How, indeed, can the existence of a sanctuary law do anything but attract illegal immigrants to our state?

The purpose of immigration law is to protect our nation's sovereignty— our right to self-determination as a free, autonomous people. That sovereignty is undermined when foreign peoples are permitted to violate that law on a routine basis. And it is undermined even more when state and local governments — like Oregon's — purposely thwart that law with policies that give safe haven to those who break it.

To conceal their unlawful presence, illegal immigrants routinely commit identity theft and other crimes that wreak havoc on innocent Oregonians — crimes, notes Sheriff Bergin, that "are well within local police and sheriffs' purview." But thanks to the sanctuary law, the very fact that illegal immigrants are here illegally is what can render them off-limits to further scrutiny. What kind of warped, Alice-in-Wonderland logic is this?

Restore respect for law, for sovereignty — and for sanity. Vote yes on Measure 105. Read more about Protect sovereignty: yes on Measure 105

A man accused of killing a Salem couple while driving drunk was on his way back to Marion County Jail Monday following his arrest by deportation officers.

Eduardo De La Lima-Vargas, 39, of Hubbard, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents when he left the county jail after posting bail Thursday.

In a matter of hours, Marion County prosecutors filed a motion with the Marion County court to reconsider holding him without bail in order to prevent his removal from the United States so he can face prosecution for his alleged crimes here before being deported to Mexico.

According to ICE officials, De La Lima-Vargas is a citizen of Mexico residing illegally in the United States.

Marion County Judge David Leith ruled in the prosecutors' favor, and as of midday Monday, De La Lima-Vargas was en route to Salem from an ICE detention facility in The Dalles.

De La Lima-Vargas was first arrested after midnight on Aug. 19 on manslaughter, DUI and reckless driving charges.

According to police, he was driving his truck pulling an occupied horse trailer on Mission Street near Interstate 5 when he ran a red light and hit a motorcycle carrying Logan Wilson, 34, and Jessica Wilson, 32.

The Wilsons, a married couple with several young children, later died at Salem Hospital.

Responding officers described Vargas as smelling strongly of alcohol and swaying on his feet while standing. He failed a field sobriety test and his blood-alcohol content was at .10 percent two hours after the crash.

Several witnesses reported seeing him swerving and driving recklessly, according to court records. Two hours before the crash, he was involved in a property damage incident. After one witness called police and told him not to leave, De La Lima-Vargas allegedly threatened to shoot the witness and drove away.

Prosecutors noted that after the deadly crash, De La Lima-Vargas did not ask about the condition of the people he hit.

"He did, however, express concern for his horse, which had been in the horse trailer at the time of both of the crashes," prosecutors said.

De La Lima-Vargas also told investigators his wife was concerned about his driving the night of the crash. She offered to come and get him, but he declined because he did not know where he was.

Prosecutors said the public was at risk of physical injury if De La Lima-Vargas was released. They asked that he be held without bail.

Leith ordered that De La Lima-Vargas be held without bail until a hearing scheduled for Sept. 5.

During the hearing, Leith set bail at $500,000, finding that De La Lima-Vargas was charged with bailable offenses.

ICE officials confirmed that De La Lima-Vargas was taken into custody after posting $50,000 security the next day.

“ICE’s mission is to protect public safety by upholding the immigration laws of the country,"  ICE officials said in a statement Friday, adding that they considered De La Lima-Vargas to be threat to public safety.

ICE officials said they are not associated with the criminal proceedings in Marion County and would transfer De La Lima-Vargas back into local custody if Marion County prosecutors filed the appropriate motion.

Prosecutor Katie Suver filed a motion Friday asking the court to reconsider holding De La Lima-Vargas without bail to "protect the rights of the victims and the public and to avoid the possible removal of the defendant from the United States."

Suver said they were advised that De La Limas-Vargas could be removed from the country. Law enforcement would have no way ensuring his attendance at future court hearings if he was deported.

"At best, the defendant would remain in 'warrant' status and the case would never be tried," Suver said.

Shortly after prosecutors filed the motion, Leith ordered that De La Lima-Vargas be transported back to Marion County and held without bail until a new hearing scheduled for 8 a.m. Tuesday.

Prosecutors said the issue of bail will be addressed at the Tuesday hearing.

After De La Lima-Vargas's arrest, ICE issued an immigration detainer with Marion County Jail.

Detainers serve as a legally authorized request, upon which a law enforcement agency may rely, to continue to maintain custody for up to 48 hours so that ICE may assume custody for deportation.

"The Marion County Jail does not honor any aspect of an ICE detainer, absent a criminal arrest warrant issued by a magistrate judge," ICE officials said.

The issue of not honoring ICE detainers has become part of a contentious national debate over "sanctuary cities."

In November, voters will decide on whether Oregon should repeal its sanctuary state law, which prevents law enforcement from detaining people who are in the country illegally but have not broken other laws.

Eduardo De La Lima-Vargas (Photo: Marion County Sheriff's Office)

For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodwort@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-399-6884 or follow on Twitter @wmwoodworth Read more about ICE detains man charged with manslaughter of Salem couple, DUI

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A man suspected of being in the United States illegally ran a red light while drunk on a street in Oregon's state capital and crashed into a motorcycle carrying a man and woman, killing them both, authorities said.

A judge set bail for Eduardo de la Lima Vargas at $500,000 on Wednesday, saying he's a threat to society and a flight risk. The Mexican man was sent back to the Marion County jail, joining the hundreds behind bars in Oregon who federal immigration authorities believe are deportable.

Of the 14,916 inmates in Oregon Department of Corrections prisons, 943 were foreign nationals as of July 1, according to David Olen Cross, who voluntarily compiles data and shares his information with lawmakers, law enforcement, media and others.

All had Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers on them, said Cross, who compiles data from ICE and the state corrections department for his reports.

ICE spokeswoman Carissa Cutrell said her agency "only lodges detainers on individuals who are subject to removal, meaning these individuals violated the terms of their lawful status or are in the country illegally."

The biggest share of foreign national prisoners — 229 — resided in Marion County, Cross said.

Cases such as the one involving de la Lima Vargas are fueling a debate ahead of the November election, when voters will decide whether Oregon should repeal its sanctuary state law, the nation's oldest. It prevents law enforcement from detaining people who are in the United States illegally but have not broken other laws.

De la Lima Vargas was intoxicated on Aug. 19 when he drove a pickup truck pulling a loaded horse trailer through a red light in Salem and struck a motorcycle that Logan and Jessica Wilson were riding on, killing the Salem couple, prosecutors said.

De la Lima Vargas is charged with two counts of manslaughter, driving under the influence, reckless driving and recklessly endangering another person.

"There is no question in my mind that there is a danger to the public if Mr. Vargas is released," Judge David Leith said at Wednesday's bail hearing. "Circumstances also suggest some real risk of flight."...

On Aug. 23, ICE lodged an immigration detainer on de la Lima Vargas, saying he is illegally residing in the United States. But the jail won't accept ICE detainers without a criminal warrant issued by a magistrate judge, ICE officials say.

"Sanctuary policies not only provide a refuge for illegal aliens, but they also shield criminal aliens who prey on people in their own and other communities," ICE said in a statement.

Advocates of Oregon's 1987 sanctuary law accuse its detractors of seizing upon criminals in the country illegally to push their case for supporting a repeal of the sanctuary state law. Most immigrants are law-abiding, fill jobs that U.S. citizens often don't want, and contribute to society, they say....

Those who support repeal, including 16 (now 18) of Oregon's 36 sheriffs, say respect for the law is paramount.

Marion County Sheriff Jason Myers was among the majority of sheriffs who did not sign an open letter supporting repeal. Read more about Crime by Foreigners Fuels Sanctuary State Debate in Oregon