Assemblyman Van Tran is proposing a bill to require state prisons to check inmates’ immigration status.
The bill, which was introduced yesterday by Tran and Assemblyman Martin Garrick, would train state correctional officers to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to verify inmates’ status and facilitate the deportation of inmates who are found to be in the country illegally.
Tran, R-Westminster, said he thinks this would help the state identify illegal immigrants more easily and thus get more cash from Washington to cover the cost of their incarceration. (The federal government has a program to reimburse localities for some of these costs but local officials often complain it is difficult to secure the funding.) Tran also said he thought it would make the prison more efficient.
A similar bill was proposed in the state legislature last year but failed in committee. “It’s essentially the same language,” Tran said. “But obviously the political and fiscal situation in the state of California (changed) since last year.”
California doesn’t currently have a formal agreement with ICE – unlike the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, which has trained deputies to screen inmates’ immigration status. ICE has similar agreements with 37 law enforcement agencies around the country, including the corrections departments of Arizona, Massachusetts and New Mexico, said ICE spokesman Richard Rocha.
Rocha said 26 of the agreements were signed in the last fiscal year.
- Amy Taxin
This is as logical as it gets. How stupid can our committee be to not pass this bill? How stupid can they be to turn down a bill to deport illegal criminals and reduce the financial burden of jailing them?
I hope it passes. The more deportations the better. Less traffic. Remember the illegal strike?
This is the best idea I’ve seen out of the state legislature in years.
But why not send the tab for the incarceration costs to Mexico rather than to Washington?
With this state’s budget crisis this should be a no brainer.
Good for Assemblyman Van Tran.
That this isn’t already done is absolutely unconscionable to me.
Assemblyman Van Tran, now there’s some one that is listening to the public. Way to go Van.
Deporting illegal immigrants is simply racism.
How about training county corrections (OC Probation) to do this too? I’d LOVE to be in on the ground floor of this project!
Most people will be shocked when they find out many illegals there are in California prisons. I certainly agree with Mike, bout better late than never!
Thank you Van Tran!
We need more local politicians to pay attention to these illegal immigration issues. California pays a heavy burden for this and it needs to stop.
Many thanks to Van Tran!!
I don’t see how deporting illegal immigrants constitutes as racism.
Illegal aliens come from all parts of the world.
I find it very ironic that it’s mostly the Illegal alien Mexicans that cry out racism, seeing that there is a vast majority of them that currently live in California.
That said, I support this bill to the fullest extent.
However, the likelihood that it will pass is questionable, considering that many people will think about the families of the illegals and will pour morality on it more so than abide by what is commonly known as “law”.
Thank you Van Tran! You have my vote in the future too.
I Dont think that all of this crap van tran is doing is going to help ,first is because were living in the “”united sates”" wich means we should all all be united no matter were we all come from were, i mean were all human beans people just cuz theres people from deffirent countries , i ask my self why are they always talking about mexicans, oh did u hear that there trying to do this so mexicans cant cross. i mean why dont we ever hear things about people who come from china, ashia deffirent countries and only mexicans i mean yea i understand but i think that instead of people maiking things better there maiking things worse becouse the united states is sepparating people from there families and thats why they are so many
( hispanic ) people that many call immigrant, or aliens, i really dont understad why they want to do this or why they make i big deal but yet thats why they dont know why there is alot of hispanic people in jail and they still ask them selves why , and i think i know why becouse they see that the united states isn’t doing anything for their family i. I just ask my self what would the united stats would be like the movie a day without mexicans realy what would the united stats do theres not i place that i go to and see a mexican person working hard to survive here in this country and the reason why there hear is because they thought that the united states was going to help them, they thought that things would be better off here but NO. i realy do think that they should just stop all of that crap and let the immigrants go on with there lives and let them be happy . THE UNITED STATES NEEDS TO STOP ALL THAT DEPORTATION,SEPARATING PEOPLE FROM THIER FAMILIES, PEOPLE GETTING FIRED FROM WORK, THEY NEED OUR HELP AND NOT OUR JUDGEMENT PEOPLE WHO WERE BORN HEAR IN THE UNITED STATES NEED TO STOP BIENG RACIS AND THOSE PEOPLE KNOW WHO THEY ARE I JUST HOPE THAT THIS WHOULD JUST SOTOP ONE DAY AND I HOPE THIS DAY WOULD COME TRUE SO WHERE IS THAT NATION WERE WE ARE ALL UNITED THE “”UNITED STSTES” WHERE IS IT PEOPLE
Nia, Van Tran is introducing important l legislation that will protect you and me and all Californians from criminals. You and others of your ilk should support him and his bill. This has nothing to do with Hispanics, or race this is about criminals being removed out of our communities by getting them out of our country.
Jose and NIA, you are simply 2 morons, who are probably illegal immigrants to begin with, who have no clue what I(a citizan and tax payer)have to pay for price of illegals, not mention what the rest of the CITIZENS and TAX PAYERS pay for them smooch off..Not only that, then they get paid under the table….Perhaps what this country should do is initiate the same standards that MEXICO against non-citizens, like no civil liberty, can’t own land-if not a citizan, and the absurd attitude they hold against americans visiting mexico..Also, this country provides financial aid directly to MEXICO…COME ON AMERICAN CITIZENS stand up and tell our governement to stop feeding the scroundels that come to this country and don’t want to respect our laws…You make me sick!