Guest Entry by CaliGirl9: Sanctuary Cities --This Time NOT San Francisco!
T&T is proud to bring you a two part entry by CaliGirl9. Sprocket.
With the actions of illegal alien and former juvenile offender Edwin Ramos in San Francisco, more people are becoming aware of just how costly the “sanctuary city” policy can be on our citizens in terms of lives lost (or profoundly affected) and has rendered law enforcement impotent.
Edwin Ramos was not the first repeat offender to benefit from the United States’ piss-poor immigration policy and law enforcement. Here is the story of five individuals and families whose lives were irrevocably changed or even destroyed by illegals enjoying the benefits of residency in a sanctuary city.
Sara Cole, San José/Santa Clara County, California
Sara Cole, a 44-year old mother of two and nursing student was loading her son’s bicycle into the back of her SUV on Sunday, September 9, 2007, at Los Gatos’ Baggerly Field at 5:30 p.m., when she was hit by a car driven by 27-year old Lucio Rodriquez, an illegal alien. (I’m sorry, “immigrants” are people who follow the laws and come to the U.S. after having followed legal procedures to be allowed into the country, like my German-born mother and her parents, and my Irish-born paternal great-grandfather.) Rodriquez continued on his merry way until he was apprehended by police about 4 miles away. Rodriquez was so drunk he was unable to stand, and a blood alcohol level drawn 90 minutes after Sara was hit was a 0.16, twice the legal limit in California. Rodriquez claims to have had two beers an hour and a half prior to running over Sara. Must have been two big ‘ol beers!
How many crimes have been mentioned thus far? Rodriquez was in the U.S. illegally (crime #1) and because of his illegal status, driving without a valid drivers’ license (#2) and therefore driving without insurance (#3). He was drunk (#4) and left the scene of the accident (#5).
What the reader does not know is that Rodriquez is actually a repeat offender who benefitted by living in a sanctuary city (San José). He had been convicted of drunk driving in March 2007 for a January 2007 arrest, sentenced to 10 days in jail and ordered to pay $1600 in fines. Yes, he was in the hands of law enforcement and the courts and never once was his immigration status asked. If he presented a drivers’ license at the time of the January arrest, they were no doubt acquired with fraudulent documents.
So what we really have is an illegal alien (#1) who obtained fraudulent documents to get a drivers’ license (#2) and has been arrested of drunk driving (#3) who was also driving without a valid license (#4) and most likely no insurance (#5) at the time of his first incident earlier in 2007. Add the Sara Cole hit-and-run and we can add: no driver’s license (#6), drunk driving repeat offender (#7), with no insurance (#8) who hit Sara Cole (#9) and left the scene of the accident (#10).
This gets better. During his 10-day vacation in Santa Clara County jail, Rodriquez told jail officials he wasn’t a citizen. Media reports don’t say if jail officials failed to notify ICE or if ICE just didn’t care to pursue the matter (San José’s main newspaper, the Mercury News, is very pro-Hispanic illegal alien), but at any rate, Rodriquez did his time and went back to his job at Una Mas, a local Mexican food restaurant.
Naturally Rodriquez also has an anchor baby at home, a now 5-year old son. He was sentenced to five years in prison this past March, and faces deportation once he has served his sentence.
In an informative article written by the Merc’s Javier Erik Olvera in the wake of the Sara Cole incident, there are many opportunities for failure at ICE’s end. There is a dearth of agents available to interview inmates, and with the short sentences many offenders enjoy, ICE just can’t get to the jail in time. However, the main reason for failure is local law enforcement agencies NOT informing ICE in the first place.
Four years ago, San José Police Chief Rob Davis imposed a policy that prohibits officers from asking crime victims and misdemeanor offenders about their immigration status. The reason for this policy is that it “might discourage crime victims from cooperating with police or reporting other crimes.”
This policy has cost Sara Cole a year of pain and an uncertain future rehabbing from two severely fractured legs. Her sons witnessed the accident.
Sara Cole’s supporters have a Website: Sara Cole Fund.org. The Website does not mention the immigration status of the man who ran her down. Her ex-husband, Bill Cole, is working toward the passage of “Sara’s Law” (California DUI AB 1882), which would result in the deportation of illegal immigrants who are convicted of DUI.
You mean that’s not on the books already?
Police Officer Nick Erfle, Phoenix, Arizona
On September 15, 2007, eight-year Phoenix police officer Nick Erfle was gunned down by 24-year old Anthony Sanchez, an illegal alien who had already been deported for numerous crimes, including cockfighting, theft and drug possession, but thanks to the porous border, popped right back into the good old U.S of A at will.
Erfle and his partner had approached three people for jaywalking and obstructing traffic and after a records check, learned Sanchez had a misdemeanor warrant for shoplifting in Tucson. When the officers attempted to arrest Sanchez, the perp drew a handgun and shot Officer Erfle in the face. The officer died a short time later at a local hospital. Sanchez ran a short distance and hijacked a car, sitting in the passenger seat. Witnesses were able to give police a description of the car and surveillance soon ensued. The car was boxed in at an intersection, and while Sanchez held his hostage at gunpoint, police shot and killed Sanchez.
Officer Erfle, a two-time cancer survivor, leaves behind a wife and two children.
Phoenix mayor Phil Gordon was quoted in the Arizona Republic following Officer Erfle’s murder:
“This individual that took our officer’s life is a perfect example, a poster child, of our failed Washington policy for securing our borders.”
Gee, Mayor Gordon, you are only half-right. What about Phoenix’ sanctuary city policy? Why was Anthony Sanchez even walking the streets, a known illegal and repeat criminal? Obviously Sherriff Joe never got his hands on the guy …so what’s with your court system?
Los Gatos Observer.com
Mercury News.com
Officer Down Memorial Page
Police One.com
Diggers Realm
Look for Part II tomorrow, that will cover the stories of Eric Antonio Uc-Cahun, Pedro Espinosa and Adriana Fierro De Marin.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
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2 comments:
ICE just did a huge raid in my city. The thing is though they were illegals they were factory workers not hardened criminals. I think priorities need to be straightened because an illegal violent repeat offender just shot a cop about a month ago.
I 100% agree with you brainpan. ICE, with its limited resources, sure could serve us a whole lot better if it put more effort into responding to checking jails for illegals who have gone over the line and committed crimes that bring attention to themselves... especially those like Lucio Rodriquez and Edwin Ramos, who have already had their day in court! With the exception of Adriana Fierro De Marin, every perp in the editorial I wrote has had numerous run-ins with the law and each had at least ONE court conviction and incarceration.
I honestly do not believe a mass roundup on the streets is feasible or even necessarily desirable. I prefer to look at this as an opportunity for the U.S. Let's find a way to keep the cream of the crop and send the criminals back to their country of origin. But the borders have got to be secured first, simple as that.
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