Slate reported on January 25, 2017, on Trump’s latest Executive Order on Immigration. While the mainstream media focuses on the “The Wall,” Criminal Defense attorneys are focusing on the really scary parts for our clients. Our clients range from people with speeding tickets, no driver’s license to serious felony charges. I am sure people will say “good” to get rid of the criminals but in Georgia, a speeding ticket is a misdemeanor or a crime. Don’t forget Georgia was originally a penal colony.
- The Homeland Secretary is ordered to take action to ensure “the detention of aliens apprehended for violations of immigration law.” Translated into English: if you are here illegally you will be detained probably in an internment camp. As of December 31, 2015, there were a total number of prisoners held under the jurisdiction of state and federal correctional authorities of 1,526,800 in the United States. Forget the wall, the 11,000,000 new prison beds will make the wall look like an after-dinner mint from a costs perspective. Oh come on, it is only wafer-thin.
- Deportation will be prioritized for immigrants who have been convicted of a crime; been charged with a crime with an unresolved crime, engaged in fraud in any government application, abused welfare programs, have committed acts that could be a crime or in the discretion of an immigration officer pose a risk to public safety or national security. Have you driven over the speed limit or taken cash for work without reporting it to the IRS. In other words, immigration pogrom.
- 5000 new border agents will be hired and 10,000 new immigration officers.
- Local and state police will be empowered to enforce immigration laws. This means immigrants will be held in local jails until the Feds come and pick them up which maybe years. Can you say unfunded federal mandate?
- If local jurisdictions refused to enforce federal immigration detainers (otherwise known as a jail hold) or are declared sanctuary cities will be put on shame list and have their federal funds cut off except for law enforcement. So much for the Republican tenet of State rights and local control.
The unintended consequences of this order:
5. The Federal Deficit will be rising.
-Author: George C. Creal Jr.