Criminal Alien of the Week Report 10-22-20 by David Cross
It has been an interesting third full week in the month of October when it comes to criminal aliens (illegal aliens) here in the Pacific Northwest states of Oregon, Washington and Idaho.
This week we examine for radio listeners a criminal illegal alien who has been previously deported from the United States who illegally returned to the country only to allegedly commit a sex crime against a minor in King County, Washington.
On October 16, 2020 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued a news release titled “DHS, ICE announce arrests of more than 170 at-large aliens in sanctuary jurisdictions” that included a state of Washington immigration enforcement story:
Here is the state of Washington excerpt from the October 16th ICE news release:
“• A 25-year-old citizen of Guatemala, Oct. 8 in Seattle. The Renton Police Department arrested Morales-Martin for commercial sex abuse of a minor in February 2019. He was released from local custody before ICE could lodge an immigration detainer. ICE previously removed him in August 2013, and he illegally reentered the United States after his removal. He is in ICE custody pending his removal to Guatemala.”
Wanting more detailed information on the Guatemalan national, the “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” on Tuesday, October 20, 2020 sent via e-mail U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Public Affairs Officer (PAO) Tanya Roman a request for a statement on the historical immigration status of the immigration violator.
On Thursday, October 22, 2020 ICE Public Affairs Officer Roman sent via e-mail the following statement on Miguel Morales-Martin:
“Miguel Morales-Martin, is a 25-year-old criminal alien and citizen of Guatemala.
On Oct. 8, 2020, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested Morales-Martin as part of a week-long targeted enforcement operation that resulted in the apprehension of more than 170 at-large aliens throughout the U.S., where sanctuary policies have largely prohibited the cooperation of law enforcement agencies in the arrest of criminal aliens.
On Feb. 21, 2019, the Renton Police Department arrested Morales-Martin and booked him into South Entity Correctional Jail (SCORE), in Des Moines, Washington, for the offense of commercial sex abuse of a minor. Morales-Martin was released from local custody before ICE could lodge an immigration detainer. Those charges are pending.
Morales-Martin has a history of repeatedly violating the nation’s immigration laws. ICE previously removed him in 2013 and he illegally reentered the U.S. sometime after that removal on an unknown date and location. He is currently in ICE custody at the Northwest ICE Processing Center, pending his removal to Guatemala.” – Tanya Roman, ICE Public Affairs Spokesperson.
“On Background:
ICE’s mission remains consistent: to identify, arrest and remove aliens who present a danger to national security or are a risk to public safety, as well as those who enter the country illegally or otherwise undermine the integrity of our immigration laws and our border control efforts.
About Detainers
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodges detainers on individuals who have been arrested on criminal charges and who ICE has probable cause to believe are removable aliens. The detainer asks the other law enforcement agency to notify ICE in advance of release and to maintain custody of the alien for a brief period of time so that ICE can take custody of that person in a safe and secure setting upon release from that agency’s custody. When law enforcement agencies fail to honor immigration detainers and release serious criminal offenders onto the streets, it undermines ICE’s ability to protect public safety and carry out its mission.” – ICE Public Affairs.
The chances of Guatemalan national Miguel Morales-Martin, currently charged with commercial sex abuse of a minor, facing in the near future a judge and possible jury in a King County Court room seems unlikely at this time, because a state elected official issued an executive order and the Washington Legislature passed a state law that prohibits law enforcement in the state from honoring immigration detainers.
On February 23, 2017 Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed Executive Order 17-01; the Governor’s executive order has restricted state employees and agencies from helping enforce federal immigration laws.
The Washington State Legislature last year passed sanctuary legislation (SB 5497), signed into law on May 21, 2019 by Governor Jay Inslee, prohibiting state, county and local law enforcement from inquiring about a person’s immigration status.
If ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Officers turned Miguel Morales-Martin over to any law enforcement agency in the state of Washington there is a almost certain likelihood the Guatemalan illegal alien would be released from jail and would become a fugitive from justice free to commit more crimes in the state.