Immigration-related cases swamp courts

[JODO 2]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070427/ap_on_..._crowded_courts

Immigration-related cases swamp courts

By JENNIFER TALHELM, Associated Press Writer 11 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Immigration-related felony cases are swamping federal courts along the Southwest border, forcing judges to handle hundreds more cases than their peers elsewhere

Judges in the five, mostly rural judicial districts on the border carry the heaviest felony caseloads in the nation. Each judge in New Mexico, which ranked first, handled an average of 397 felony cases last year, compared with the national average of 84.

Federal judges in those five districts — Southern and Western Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Southern California — handled one-third of all the felonies prosecuted in the nation's 94 federal judicial districts in 2005, according to federal court statistics.

While Congress has increased the number of border patrol officers, the pace of the law enforcement has eclipsed the resources for the court system.

Judges say they are stretched to the limit with cases involving drug trafficking or illegal immigrants who have also committed serious crimes. Judges say they need help.

[Marc and Olga 0]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070427/ap_on_..._crowded_courts

illegal immigrants who have also committed serious crimes.

/sarcasm

Let 'em go and give em free citizenship!!!

/sarcasm off

I expected this to be about immigration fraud not (illegal) immigration...

*sigh* that'll teach me

[Niels Bohr 72]

Looks like they can hire Engineers to become judges!