And jumping the bail that they wonÂ’t jump.

Does this make you feel secure in your bed?

The bailiff called the murder suspect's name for the second time, scanning the courtroom. "Juan Sanchez?"

It was June 30, the day Sanchez's trial was scheduled to start in Harris County District Court in the killing of Gregorio Diaz, a 25-year-old paramedic and U.S. Navy veteran.

Even though Sanchez told Harris County jailers he was in the country illegally when he was booked on the murder charge in July 2007, he was released on $35,000 bail, according to Harris County Sheriff's Office records.

Now, he was nowhere to be found.

Judge Joan Campbell called Sanchez's defense attorney and the prosecutor to the bench. "I am revoking bond on Juan Sanchez," she said. "Now."

Under her breath, the judge said, "So much for that murder case."

A Houston Chronicle investigation found dozens of cases in Harris County involving suspected illegal immigrants who posted bail and absconded on criminal charges, including murder, aggravated sexual assault of a child and drug trafficking.

The Chronicle examined arrest and immigration records for 3,500 inmates who told jailers that they were in the country illegally during a span of eight months starting in June 2007, the earliest immigration records available.

The review found at least 178 cases involving suspects who absconded, meaning they had their bails revoked for missing court dates or allegedly committing more crimes. Of those, 30 cases involved felony charges and two-thirds had initial bails set below $35,000 — the minimum recommended in the county's bail schedule for illegal immigrants accused of felonies.

In other words, we are talking about 5% rate of illegal alien criminals going on to commit more crimes or jump bail. That is not good. And to see that 2/3 were given such low bail is distressing to me – and makes me wonder about how safe we were kept by all those GOP judges who were just voted out (not that the newly elected Democrats will be better, given their party’s “soft on illegal immigration” ideology).

In the end, it is very simple – why are we giving bail at all to illegal immigrants? When will we get serious about the issue and round them up, ship them back, and keep them out?

Posted by: Greg at 12:20 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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