Monday, December 7, 2009
Texas Loophole in the Judicial System
A travisty is being committed in the state of Texas, concerning illegal immigrants who commit violent crimes and being deported before being prosecuted. There appears to be a loophole in the judicial system that is not only allowing these violent criminals to escape prosecution, but also allow bail bondsmen who help these immigrant's receive their reimbursement. What is happening, is illegal immigrants are using bail bondsmen to post bail on crimes as severe as murder and sexual assault. These same criminals are then being deported before they can ever be prosecuted for the crime in which bail was posted. The biggest injustice of all is that the bail bondsman who willing an knowingly post bail for the immigrant criminals, are using a loophole (form 17.16a) which allows them to be reimbursed for the bail money on criminals who are deported before their court date. This exploitation allows not only for criminals to post bail and get out of the country before being brought to justice, but also allows corrupt bail bondmen to turn a profit on the State's tab. How long can this be overlooked before a stop is put to it. Not only should these immigrants be forced to reap what they sew, the bail bondsmen turning profits should be forced to forfeit the money they put up "in good faith" as well as, face some sort of repercussion themselves.
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My colleague at the Political corner blog wrote a commentary about a Texas loophole in the judicial system and it is extremely alarming. I had no idea this was going on, and in Texas? I know we have been taking a hard stand against illegal immigration including investing millions of dollars on a wall and border patrol personnel, but this does not mean we should simply send all illegal immigrants back across the border excusing them of the crimes they had committed while on their little "stay" here in Texas. What about the victims of some of these violent crimes? Where are the judges? Are they simply turning their heads the other way? According to one Dallas article , since 1991 in Dallas County, nearly 1,000 illegal immigrants have not stood trial after being accused of felonies! Apparently officials from the DA's office, the Dallas County Sheriff's Department, and the ICE met, but no quick fixes were found. I have an idea, DON'T SET A BOND! Do we need legislation for a judge to decide that a bond should not be set? Maybe we are purposely setting them free because our jail system is so overcrowded that we simply cannot accommodate illegal immigrants. This is a very dangerous situation, and as more and more illegal immigrants find out about this loophole, the more crimes they will commit, and the worse they will get.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the people committing these crimes should be held accountable for their actions. Also, the loophole that allows bondsmen to make money from these immigrants should be stopped. I was unaware that this was going on and am glad you wrote your blog on it. What I was thinking while reading your blog though, was why should we have to pay for these people to be imprisoned in our system that already costs us so much money? The cost of the trial, and incarceration should they be convicted would be costing Texans millions if not more a year. I think the best option is to not just deport them, but have a system in place for them to be prosecuted when they are returned to their country. Let their government pay for their wrongdoings. I know this may not be likely, considering the shape of many countries law enforcement, but I believe it is only fair. The option does seem better than just shipping them back and letting them disappear into their home countries, never paying for their crimes, as you pointed out happens now. I hope something changes soon and that the bondsmen quit profiting from these horrible crimes. I also hope we can come up with a compromise between just sending them back with no punishment and prosecuting and incarcerating them here at home.
ReplyDeleteSo, for me, getting my citizenship on the day of President Obama's inauguration day made one of big marks in my life. I finally became an American! woo! But that's not the point. There are so many illegal immigrants everywhere in United States and especially in Texas, I found it more problematic than any other states, due to the close borderline with Mexico.
ReplyDeleteIt is already big problematic with this kind of immigrants with their "short stay" in Texas but Erin's blog points out that not only we have problem with illegally staying immigrants but with illegal immigrants who committed pretty violent criminals. I definitely agree with crumbling system of our judicial system and how problematic it is for our government.
If we are giving illegal immigrants with criminal loopholes to get away with it and deport them, and allow "bail bondsmen who help these immigrant's receive their reimbursement," I wonder, it would be possible that major gangs would just hire those immigrants, make them commit in crime and all we have to do is deport them? I know it's such a dramatic statement, but you know, it is just ridiculous to let those criminals go and how we actually MADE this loophole FOR them.
But as jen commented above, I think the problem is we, Texans, would have to spend more money to solve this problematic issue. But what needs to happen is that even after being deported, they need to be punished in their own countries at the same level as we punish our criminals.
Overall, Erin's post made me think that this whole issue with "illegal immigrants" is bigger than what it seems to be. Much much bigger. Sometime soon, President Obama would come up with plan, after solving health care issue.. eeeek? :p