Gaston, NC illegal alien program getting more help...

Gaston, NC illegal alien program getting more help


By Melissa Martin
The WCNC News (Charlotte, NC), April 4, 2008



Gastonia, NC -- More manpower is coming to the Gaston County Sheriff Office to help crack down on illegal immigrants who commit crimes.

The Sheriff’s Office started the Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement program in June 2007. In the first six months of the program, they have processed and deported 302 illegal immigrants, a time consuming and labor intensive process.

“I see the numbers showing there is a problem and we're going to do all we can to work for that,” said Gaston County Sheriff Alan Cloninger.

County commissioners have now approved the $175,325 to hire two additional deputies and one sergeant to help expand the program.

Cloninger originally assigned 10 deputies to work with the program, in addition to their regular duties. He says, on average, deputies spend four hours to process the inmate and determine if they are illegal.

The additional help is good news to Emily Moose who lost her son Scott Gardner, who was from Gaston County. He was hit and killed by a drunk, illegal immigrant in 2005, who had been deported twice. Gardner’s wife, Tina, was left in a comatose state after the accident.

“Had that program been in effect in Brunswick County where our children were hurt, Scott would be alive and Tina would be taking care of her children,” said Emily Moose.

Moose hopes that all counties will begin fighting for the immigration program.

'When the normal taxpaying citizen becomes as outraged and as indignant about the lack of enforcement and gets as hurt as personally as we have been, only then, only then, will there be justice,” said Moose.

Of the 302 illegal immigrants who came through the Gaston County Jail in the first six months of the program, officials charged the inmates with 21 felonies and 419 misdemeanors. Fifty-eight were charged with DWI, and there were 257 other traffic offenses. Nine of the illegal immigrants had been previously deported and three had outstanding warrants for removal from the country.



http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/stories/wcnc-040308
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