Triple US Murder Sparks Immigration Debate

One suspect, 28-year-old Jose Carranza, was an illegal immigrant from Peru who was granted bail earlier this year when he was charged with assault and child rape.

The murder of three people at a school in New Jersey has further sparked an already contentious immigration debate, with critics of the city’s current immigration policies highlighting that one of the alleged attackers was in the US illegally and had faced serious criminal charges before.

Newark city councilman Ron Rice today said he was introducing a bill that would require local police to notify federal immigration authorities whenever they arrest someone living the US illegally who is charged with committing a felony.

The bill would be the first piece of legislation resulting from the shooting of four Newark college students, which left three dead and one wounded.

One suspect, 28-year-old Jose Carranza, was an illegal immigrant from Peru who was granted bail earlier this year when he was charged with assault and child rape.

Today, a judge revoked his bail at the request of prosecutors. Carranza’s attorney did not object.

Carranza attended the 5-minute hearing but did not speak. His listened to the discussions, which were translated, through headphones.

“He clearly should not have been out on the street,” said Rice.The case comes at a time when a growing number of US communities and cities – frustrated with what they say is the federal government’s inability to address the illegal immigration issue – are trying to enact laws aimed at curtailing the number of such immigrants in their area.

The laws, which range from denying public services to illegal immigrants to penalising businesses who hire them, have been approved or considered in dozens of communities across the US.

http://The case comes at a time when a growing number of US communities and cities – frustrated with what they say is the federal government’s inability to address the illegal immigration issue – are trying to enact laws aimed at curtailing the number of such immigrants in their area.

The laws, which range from denying public services to illegal immigrants to penalising businesses who hire them, have been approved or considered in dozens of communities across the US.

http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/world/mhcwmheymhkf/

2007-08-14