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| Pinal sheriff: What's up with immigration? |
| By ktar.com |
| Published: 01/07/2010 |
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Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu is seeing a change in his department's role in illegal immigration and wonders if it signals a major policy shift by the Obama Administration. Pinal County, home to the intersection of Interstate 8 from California and Interstate 10 from Tucson, is a crossroads for illegal immigrants traffic. The county was holding about 550 suspected illegal immigrants in its jails until about 45 days ago when that number dropped to 222. Babeu said he's been unable to get an answer to why and asked, "Is this the precursor to amnesty?" The sheriff said his county has a contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold 600 illegal immigrants daily. He said the county has built jail facilities and hired staff to meet that contract and that there will be layoffs if the big cutback in detainees continues. "We have entire (jail) pods that are vacant that used to be filled to the brim," said Babeu, noting the county receives $60 a day for each immigrant that is held for federal authorities. "Where are all of these people going?" Babeu wondered. "These questions have not been answered." He said it's time for some answers and some leadership from the Obama Administration. "They're trying to affect our operations by saying maybe we don't keep them in jail or the Department of Corrections because it's a budget issue. They're affecting policy by just not funding it." The Border Patrol delivers illegal immigrants to ICE, which claims no beds are available to detain them and after that it's a mystery as to what happens to the illegals, Babeu said. "We have beds. We have over 300, up to 350 beds, available that we've been obligated to hold for ICE." The empty jail space could cost Pinal County millions of dollars and lots of jobs, said the sheriff. "We would literally be forced into a position -- if I don't find a solution quickly -- to lay people off and to not pay our debt." Babeu said illegal immigration puts a tremendous burden on Arizona and Pinal County. Read More. |
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I AM IN TEXAS. IN MY OPINION. I DONT UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR GOVERNMENT IS DOING HALF THE TIME. I BELIEVE THEY DONT EITHER. IT IS ILLEGAL TO BE IN THE UNITED STATES ILLEGALY. ITS FELONY. TITLE 8 SECTION 1325. US CODE. HERE IN TEXAS UNEMPLOYMENT RISES DAILY. BUT CONTRUCTION ON CITY ROADS AND HIGHWAYS ARE BUILDING DAILY. BUT ITS MEXICANS WORKING. RESTAURANTS.FAST FOOD.HOTELS.MOTELS. TRASH PICK UP GARDNERS. MEXICANS ARE WORKING. I BLAME THE BIG COMPANIES FOR THE RISE IN UNEMPLOYMENT. I BLAME THE US GOVERNMENT FOR THE RISE IN UNEMPLOYMENT. OUR GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO ENFORCE THE LAWS ON HIRING ILLEGALS. ITS ILLEGAL TO HIRE AN ILLEGAL. LAWS MUST BE INFORCED. IF OUR GOVERNMENT WERE TO ENFORCE OUR LAWS AND STOP LETTING THEM COME HERE AND WORK. AND RECIEVE HOUSING LOANS. FOOD STAMPS. FREE MEDICAL. AND STOP LETTING THE TO BE ABLE TO SUE US BUSINESSES. AMERICANS WOULDNT BE UNEMPLOYED. BUSH GAVE A SPEECH IN 2007 TO ILLEGALS. HE TOLD THEM IF THEY WANTED THE RIGHT TO WORK IN AMERICA. TO FIGHT FOR THAT RIGHT. BUSH NEVER EVEN TRIED TO SOLVE THE ILLEGAL PROBLEM AND OUR UNEMPLOYMENT. AS FOR OBAMA. I DONT KNOW. HERE IN TEXAS. IF YOU DONT SPEAK SPANISH. YOU AINT WORKING. IN MY OPINION. IF OUR GOVERNMENT CAN DEPLOY 300.000 TROOPS TO IRAQ IN 3 YEARS. HELL WE CAN DEPORT ILLEGALS BACK TO MEXICO AND EL SALVADOR....OUR AMERICAN SOLDIERS ARE FIGHTING FOR OUR RIGHTS. OUR RIGHTS AS AMERICANS ARE BEING TAKEN AWAY BY ILLEGALS USIING OUR US CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AGAINST AMERICAN CITIZENS. WHAT THE HELL OUR US SOLDIERS FIGHTING FOR. WE HAVE ILLEGAL MEXICANS COMING HERE BURNING THE AMERICAN FLAG. WE GOT MUSLIMS MAKING US PUT AWAY OUR AMERICAN FLAG BECAUSE THEY FIND IT OFFENSIVE. SO. DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT OUR GOVERNMENT IS DOING.