ICE takes four from county jail

Wanda English Burnett - Editor

Four illegal aliens were taken by immigration officials from the Ripley County Jail on Tuesday, September 4. They will be deported back to Mexico, according to Dennis Pippin, jail commander.
Pippin noted that he had received a fax a few months back from ICE (Immigrations & Customs Enforcement) saying any illegal immigrants with a D felony or higher would be deported. He noted that he faxed his booking sheets to the proper authorities.

More recently, Pippin was in correspondence with ICE and was told any illegal alien would be deported, regardless of the charge.

According to Gail Montenegro, spokesperson with US Immigration & Customs Enforcement, they have been working closely with county jails and prisons in the six states her office is over. “We’ve been sending information to jail commanders letting them know what we’re looking for,” she told The Versailles Republican. She said letters were sent to all county jails about the Criminal Alien program, which is a detention and removal system. While the program is not new, Montenegro said the department has a renewed focus to remove criminal illegal aliens.

Once the illegal aliens are taken from the county jails, the deportation process begins, according to Montenegro. She noted that the process varies with each individual case, with some being deported immediately, and others taking a while.

Montenegro explained that ICE is the enforcement arm of the immigration service and was reorganized under the Homeland Security Act in 2003.

The four deported on Tuesday were all serving sentences on various charges. They include:
• Florencio Trejo, 31, Versailles, charged with Driving While Suspended.
• Ernesto Trejo, 28, Dillsboro, charged with Operation While Intoxicated with prior in five years.
• Pedro Mulato, 32, Indianapolis, charged with theft.
• Moreno Guillermo, 25, Laurel, charged with Operating While Never Licensed.

Pippin said in interviews, all four of the inmates admitted they were here illegally. He noted that Florencio Trejo was the only one with a social security number, but found through investigation that it was bought, and was not valid.