Posted on by Californiacontrarian

“Bad Hombres”or“Innocent Bystanders?”

The following are excerpts from the Charlotte Observer, a North Carolina newspaper, on 2/8/19:

The News: After North Carolina’s largest counties cut ties with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the agency said it’s been forced to adopt a “new normal”: one that resulted in the arrest of hundreds of immigrants, living here illegally, this week.

The Background: Since December, newly elected sheriffs in the state’s two most populous counties — Mecklenburg and Wake — have reversed a policy that notifies ICE about the legal status of inmates in county jails. The Durham County Sheriff’s Office also ended the practice of honoring ICE detainers.

The Practical Outcome: “This is the direct conclusion of dangerous policies of not cooperating with ICE,” said Sean Gallagher, who oversees the agency’s operation in the Carolinas and Georgia. “This forces my officers to go out onto the street to conduct more enforcement.” Of the 200 individuals arrested this week, one-quarter have criminal convictions, one-fifth have pending cases and another quarter have evaded deportation orders. Nearly one-third of those taken into custody by ICE this week are what the agency calls “collateral” arrests – immigrants who are living here illegally but lack any kind of criminal conviction or pending charges. That figure was less than 10 percent for those arrested in the most recent fiscal year. Gallagher, the ICE field director, said more of these individuals are likely to be taken into custody when ICE is restricted from accessing county jails.

Let me get this straight – Of the 200 or so individuals arrested about 70% are “bad hombres” (25% are criminals, 20% are potential criminals, and an additional 25% who have been deported, but who have not left.) This leaves the 30% who are basically “innocent bystanders” or “collateral arrests” . . . granted this group are here illegally, but are apparently otherwise  law-abiding. So these sheriffs, in return for protecting a group of “bad hombres,” already in custody, have essentially sacrificed about 60 “innocent bystanders!”  

Does anybody think that this outcome is good for the immigrant community?  “Silence!”  

I am not hearing, “Strong work, sheriffs!” Rather I hear complaints from the supposed immigrant advocates that ICE is “bullying” these “innocent bystanders” by actually doing its job. Well, sport’s fans, ICE is going to continue to do its job as long “law enforcement officers” refuse to do their job. By not cooperating with ICE, they are continuing to protect the “bad hombres,” while the “innocent bystanders” continue to be caught in a wide net, and this benefits . . . who?

My position has always been to leave the “innocent bystanders” alone as long as identify themselves and do not vote or receive any benefits. However, at the same time, get rid of the “bad hombres.” For some reason the advocates of “sanctuary policies” accept the “sacrifice of the innocents!”                                                                  

I just don’t get it!

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