The United States Attorney's Office in the Southern District of West Virginia announced Wednesday that an illegal alien from Mexico plead guilty to the felony offense of Reentry of a Removed Alien.
According to the press release announced by United States Attorney Mike Stuart, the Mexican national found not lawfully present in the United States was deported from the U.S. on four prior occasions; in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012.
"On June 17, 2019, Camarena-Jacinto was found in the South Central Regional Jail located in Charleston, West Virginia by members of ICE after he was arrested by Ripley police officers for the state offense of obstruction. ICE agents traveled to the jail to confirm his legal status. The defendant admitted to agents that he was in the United States illegally. Camarena-Jacinto was arrested and ICE agents matched his fingerprints to previous removals from the United States. ICE agents further spoke to the defendant to confirm his identity. Camarena-Jacinto again admitted being in the United States illegally. Camarena-Jacinto had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States."News of securing the guilty plea comes on the heels of a controversy in nearby Huntington, West Virginia and a grant deal where some community members do not want local law enforcement officers working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
From the Herald-Dispatch:
HUNTINGTON — What is normally a routine request for federal grant money has turned into a point of controversy for Huntington City Council.
For at least the past decade, the city has applied and received money for the Huntington Police Department through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. The program is used to pay for officers performing drug interdiction patrols and for community education programs.
However, new language added to the grant application this year has some people questioning whether accepting it will open the city up to illegal immigration raids conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agency.
City officials said the grant's wording is merely a promise to comply with all federal laws, and the grant itself has nothing to do with immigration or ICE.
Still, a group of people are asking the city not to follow through with the grant application and to take measures to prevent local officers from working with ICE agents.
