Dole: Deport illegal immigrants

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 30 May 2008 15:39:48 -0400

Illegal immigrants arrested in North Carolina are being deported like never before, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole said at a press conference today.

"If they're thinking of coming to North Carolina to commit crimes, they darn well better not do it," Dole said. "Because we're going to catch them."

Dole held the press conference along with four county sheriffs just days after her Democratic opponent Kay Hagan held a meeting with sheriffs to discuss immigration, Kristin Collins reports. Dole says she has been the leader in calling for a crackdown on criminal illegal immigrants.

With Dole's support, sheriff's departments in North Carolina have teamed up with federal immigration officials to help deport illegal immigrants who come through county jails through a program called 287(g). Dole said about 500 people a month are now being deported with the help of North Carolina's local law enforcement.

Three sheriff's departments — in Wake, Henderson and Cumberland counties — are now training for a federal immigration program that will allow them to check the immigration status of their jail inmates and begin deportation proceedings.

Four sheriff's departments and the Durham Police Department already have the program. North Carolina is among the leading states in the nation for participation in the program.

Sex offender sues over monitoring

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 08:00:01 -0500

A sex offender in Cumberland County has sued the state.

In a federal lawsuit, Jay Usategui of Hope Mills argues that a new state program that uses a bulky ankle bracelet and a 2-pound monitoring device to allow law enforcement officers to track him by satellite is unconstitutional.

He pleaded guilty in 2003 to taking indecent liberties with a 15-year-old girl.

The device would allow state officials to see if he is near a school, day-care center or other areas that are off limits to sex offenders. Usategui argues that it amounts to an "unreasonable search."

About 114 people are being monitored under the program. (N&O)