New Jersey Attorney General: Cops must ask suspects for immigration status effective immediately

[mawilson 2,133]

I guess next time there's a shooting in Newark involving someone with a dodgy immigration history, people can blame ICE for failing to follow up on a tip rather than the local PD?

I trust noone missed the part where you have to have already committed the crime for your immigration status to be called into question...?

Indeed. Hasn't this already been policy, to check the immigration status of suspects in serious crimes? (If not, it seems to magically appear on the news all the time...)

Apparently not. There was this guy from Peru who was released on bail (the

bail was set at $150,000 but he was allowed to pay only 10%) and who had

apparently committed multiple crimes in NJ. His immigration status was never

called into question, so he simply jumped bail and disappeared - possibly left

the country. Just heard it on the radio.

[almaty 19]

I guess next time there's a shooting in Newark involving someone with a dodgy immigration history, people can blame ICE for failing to follow up on a tip rather than the local PD?

I trust noone missed the part where you have to have already committed the crime for your immigration status to be called into question...?

Indeed. Hasn't this already been policy, to check the immigration status of suspects in serious crimes? (If not, it seems to magically appear on the news all the time...)

Apparently not. There was this guy from Peru who was released on bail (the

bail was set at $150,000 but he was allowed to pay only 10%) and who had

apparently committed multiple crimes in NJ. His immigration status was never

called into question, so he simply jumped bail and disappeared - possibly left

the country. Just heard it on the radio.

10% if the usual for bail in most areas...the locals did a poor job of checking him out...

[mawilson 2,133]

10% if the usual for bail in most areas...the locals did a poor job of checking him out...

Almaty,

Can you explain the 10% rule?

Who pays the rest?

[SMOKE 1,426]

10% if the usual for bail in most areas...the locals did a poor job of checking him out...

Almaty,

Can you explain the 10% rule?

Who pays the rest?

most bail bonds companies require 10% of the bail to sign off that they are willing to pay the other 90% if someone skips. but most state have a $50k rule also.(if the bond is over $50k, someone must put property up as the bond) incase they have to sell it to recover their losses.

[almaty 19]

10% if the usual for bail in most areas...the locals did a poor job of checking him out...

Almaty,

Can you explain the 10% rule?

Who pays the rest?

most bail bonds companies require 10% of the bail to sign off that they are willing to pay the other 90% if someone skips. but most state have a $50k rule also.(if the bond is over $50k, someone must put property up as the bond) incase they have to sell it to recover their losses.

excellent explanation. .for you Brother MA

[Ban Hammer 14,573]

"Don't worry, nervous rich people. We ask if the criminals are here illegally. Don't worry, victims. We won't arrest you for being illegal if you call us because you saw a shooting or your husband was beating your kid."

What does a person's economic status have to do with whether they should be concerned about crime by illegals, or crime in general? Do you have an issue with people who make more than you?

don't you know that poor people don't get nervous about crime?

In my experience, the people most vocally worried about the immigrants invading seem to be upper middle class people who have little contact with actual immigrants and conclude that because they're poor or brown or Hispanic, they're criminal/going to outbreed white America/are the reason that the housing market failed/their dog died.

It seems that making a big deal about enforcing a pretty basic rule (check someone's ID when booking them on murder) is meant to appeal most to the law & order crowd, which tends to skew white, male, and well-off. It's a politician making an announcement -- you think it's not targetted to a specific base?

interesting, white well off males tend to be law and order. i learned something new today. lemme pass those findings on to the enron crowd

It's totally true. Basic demographics. White, upper class males tend to vote for candidates who are tough on crime and wax poetic about law and order. (Hence Guiliani's appeal, demographics on who watches 24, that sort of thing.)

That they don't care about crimes that people THEY know commit really doesn't change that basic fact about rhetorical appeal.

oh right, and they tend to be boring too

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

As I see it none of this addresses what INS/ICE will do (or not do) once they have been notified.

And still doesn't answer the question of how they would check someone's immigrant status. "Cops must ask suspects" is all well and good - but the guy could always lie... and the fact that they're talking about 'serious crimes' is rather telling IMO. If you're holding someone for suspicion of murder or armed robber for example, it stands to reason that the cops are going to spend too more time and energy on finding out your status than if you were caught speeding or DUI.

Even so with this being retroactive - its unlikely that this notification would have prevented what happened in Newark?

Still leaves the big questions unanswered - what USCIS/DHS/ICE does when they receive a tip from law-enforcement, what their response time is; and indeed how effective inter-agency cooperation between local police and immigration enforcement.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

However in saying that I think this immigration problem is smaller than people make it out to be. The media pounce on it and then only show news stories about it. There are more pressing concerns for this country than try to demonize immigrants (legal and illegal). We have genocide happening in Africa, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, collapsing housing market, failing health care system and increasing poverty in this country. Its all smoke and mirrors, fixate on a problem in one area so that no one realizes there is something more important going on elsewhere.

In the sense of what we're talking about - Newark, NJ - is the illegal immigrant problem greater than the problem of gang-crime? As I said - it would seem to be about local priorities more than anything.

[bszoom42 0]

They are only asking if someone is charged with a serious crime. In reality it should be asked if someone is charged with any crime.

Not understanding English is usually a good sign to whether an officer should ask of someone's immigration status.

I have no problem carrying my passport with me. Since 9/11, I have carried my passport with me every time I fly within the U.S. (At the time of (9/11, my job required me to take 5 flights a week.) I also know all the local enforcement in my town, (went to school with most of them) so I won't have a problem there either.

I guess what I am saying is that I hope that they ask every person for proof of immigration/U.S. Citizen status, rather then looking at the skin color. I know I feel a lot better if everyone is being carded, so to speak, as opposed to someone saying - hmm, your name sounds foreign, you look foreign, can you tell me your immigration status?

Let me tell you a true story from my first day in College.

I was standing on line to pay my tuition, and the girl at the counter saw me, and before I said anything asked what my visa is? I didn't understand the question, and I explained to her, no ma'am, I don't have a Visa Card, I am paying my tuition by American Express Card. The girl at the counter was confused, and everyone on the line was laughing. Someone in the line chimed up and said "Can't you see he is a U.S. Citizen, as he doesn't even know what a visa is?" At the time, I was 17 years old, my parents have been U.S. Citizens well before I was born, and all of my friends were U.S. born citizens... So yes, I really had no idea what an immigration visa was, as that was never a topic covered in my prior education...

[bszoom42 0]

does this mean we should be looking for you on the Post Office wall ?

Always. And if you see my picture, please let me know, so I can promptly turn myself into the Authorities. Running away from the police in a white bronco driving 40 miles per hour is so... yesterday.

[Ban Hammer 14,573]

does this mean we should be looking for you on the Post Office wall ?

Always. And if you see my picture, please let me know, so I can promptly turn myself into the Authorities. Running away from the police in a white bronco driving 40 miles per hour is so... yesterday.

got any gloves?