Illegal immigrants detained

Star Beacon

April 16, 2008 07:14 pm

— EFFERSON — Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Department deputies detained a half dozen illegal immigrants from Mexico since last weekend as a result of routine traffic stops, according to jail administrator Lt. Terry Moisio.
“The first two males were picked up last Friday. Four more men were found to be illegally here on Sunday and Tuesday night, at traffic stops. None could speak English nor had a proper visa or driver’s license,” Moisio said.
“Most of the males are working in Lake County nurseries or local wineries. The men we picked up Friday night were working here for more than a year. Many stay with a relative and are under our radar,” he said.
Sheriff William Johnson’s policy is to detain any immigrants for questioning, to determine whether they are here legally.
“We do not arrest them,” Moisio said. “If found to be here illegally, we call the (U.S.) Border Patrol officials from Erie, Pa., to come pick them up. They get immediately deported. We don’t have jail space to keep them longer than a few hours.”