“Zero Tolerance” Replaces “Catch-and-Release”: Enter Without Inspection, Go to Jail

The Houston Chronicle reports on the change in the “catch-and-release” policy in South texas:

“After pleading guilty to entering the country illegally, the Mexican immigrant from Veracruz told a federal judge here last week he came to the U.S. to earn money to pay for his mother’s funeral. ”It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to pay off funeral expenses, or take care of a sick family member,” explained U.S. Magistrate Diana Saldaña, referring to the plight of another immigrant. ”When you cross the Rio Grande, you’re going to be spending time in prison if the Border Patrol finds you — that’s the bottom line.” The frank courtroom exchange has become a daily occurrence since Oct. 30, when the Border Patrol launched Operation Streamline-Laredo, a zero-tolerance campaign that prosecutes, jails and deports nearly every adult illegal immigrant that border agents catch. The controversial operation has jammed local jails to capacity, strained the staff of the federal public defender’s office and sparked charges that immigrants’ due process rights are being violated. But it has been applauded by those favoring strict enforcement of immigration laws.”

KJ