Look at these 2 headlines. HPD won't screen for immigration City pulls out of controversial ICE program http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/special/immigration/6671859.html Cartel slayings on the rise in Houston In one case, an innocent man died in gang’s 3 tries to kill target http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6671840.html HPD won't screem for immigration, but the number of murders by Mexican Cartel killers in Houston is increasing. It's too late to throw them in jail, after a murder. We need to deport the criminals for the more common drug offenses, before they carry out a killing. It's going to get out of hand, and people that have nothing to do with the cartel will get murdered. It's a hot topic and I'll get flamed.
it would appear most of the mayoral candidates are somewhat in support of 287(g), and though it may be too late for HPD to get in on it, there are other options. secure communities is a start, as well as working with the harris county sheriff. this is a deep issue for not only our city, but our country as a whole, and unfortunately it has taken a back seat to the economy, and the afghan war. Leading candidates differ on immigration screening (10/8) http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/chronicle/6659250.html
Well you deserve to get flamed because you haven't thought this one through. HPD is not psychic. They don't know whom, illegal immigrant or otherwise, is going to commit murder before it happens. Even if illegal aliens are more likely to commit murder (not sure if that's actually the case), it doesn't justify cracking down on them as a group. Furthermore, using resources checking the immigration status of every person that goes through the system actually decreases HPD's ability to deal with more serious crimes. So simply being more vigilant about immigration is unlikely to actually decrease the incidence of murder anyway, and it may even increase it.
I agree with you in principle, but I can say one thing. Under the current immigration laws, drug offenses are immediately deportable offenses. If we were to ascertain the immigration status of those guilty of such offenses, it may prove useful. We must be the only country in the world that fails to ascertain whether a perpetrator of a crime should even be in the country in the first place.
Fundamentally, the problem here is that the vast majority of illegal immigrants are not drug lords, cartel assassins or other "professional criminals". If the otherwise law abiding illegal immigrants view HPD as immigration police, we end up with a situation like bombastic "Sheriff Joe" in Maracopa County, Arizona created. In Maracopa County, illegal immigrants view police as people who will cause problems, not solve them, and police view illegal immigrants as criminals, not potential victims. In Maracopa County, illegal immigrants are victimized at the highest rate in the country, and crimes against illegal immigrants are solved at the lowest rate in the country. As a result, these illegal immigrant neighborhoods become "swamps" that breed criminals, who operate with virtual impunity. These criminals eventually graduate to other types of victims (i.e. non-immigrants). It maybe makes sense in a city with a smaller population of immigrants and illegal immigrants, but in Houston of all places, the vast majority of illegal immigrants aren't otherwise criminals, creating a situation where a large subset of the population won't work with HPD has extreme consequences on overall crime in the city. And regarding the Mayoral candidates, for any of them to come out and say this would be campaign suicide. I don't know that you can determine real support or lack thereof on the basis of what they say.
I don't disagree with the rest of your post, but actually, illegal aliens are statistically less likely to commit crimes than American citizens. Not because they're better (or worse) people, mind you; fear of deportation is the significant factor. (Can't quickly find the original citation from memory, but here's a related study of California that pops up in Google.)
I dont see how this is a complicated issue. Its not about who's likely to commit more crime. Its not about ethical equality and balancing. Its simple math: its about adding MORE to the current existing load we ALREADY have. The math will never be wrong. If you have a classroom of 50 kids and increase to 100, more problems to deal with. If half the class shouldnt even be there, if they actually live in another school zone entirely but decide to pack themselves somewhere else, send them to that school that they should be in! So after Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana people flooding into Texas, LEGAL Americans was a geniune concern. Illegals in the country ISNT a concern? Of course you cant predict who's gonna do what. Maybe Texans committ more crimes than Louisian-ians. Regardless, they ADD to the current number. A private gated building has 10 members. 5 non-members enter the building past security. One of the 5 steals from the building. Who cares if the 5 steals less or more than the 10, wouldnt have to deal with it in the first place if the initial filtering and screening worked. I'm saying HPD would be the 2nd responder, why should be they doing the full brunt of screening when there's already SUPPOSED to be initial screenings? Because government's letting them waltz on in here. Government and big business would rather those 5 non-members over time eat into the 10 members spots in the building, cuz on average the 5 cost less to keep around than the authentic 10.
You came up with the problem whats your solution. The problem is what are you willing to spend, man power hours and rights you want to give up to allow them to do a search for these people.
Secure Communities program. They run the finger prints of people that are arrested, get them deported after they serve their time. Instead, we are letting them stay here and commit crimes to be arrested 6 more times on average. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/jan/09/20070109-122510-1365r/
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No matter how hard you crack down on the Illegals they will still find ways back into the country. I would scale back our deportation programs considerably. Put the money into more patrols and technology. Technology that puts plate readers at every stop light to provide police with tracking stolen vehicles and missing persons.
Statistically, if we exiled all American citizens to Elba, and offered an open border to everyone who wished to immigrate here, the US would be a much safer place. So, um, I say let's do that. Dang it, FFB. I've been secretly crushing your head over the Interwebs ever since you made this post. Don't make me have to reconsider.
