jondeer, I'd really like to know more about the Goliad County Illegals you brought in.

123

jondeer, y'all picked up illegals brought them to the "compound" and then hired them out? When did all this take place?

123

Bomb the truck next time. That would maybe send a message.

You guys would have really had something to talk about if the news would have told you all about the pursuit Goliad started three weeks ago.....120mph into Victoria, out 87 South on the wrong side of the roadway the whole way, and then wrecked into the Bay in Port Lavaca submerging vehicle and bringing down power lines. And what does Goliad do? Nothing, no chargers or anything. Just called ICE to pick him up, leaving everyone to pay for the mess.

As a former Deputy in Goliad County, I wish everyone would just relax, take a breather and use some simple logic. I'm very proud that I worked for a sheriff who was more of a humanitarian than politican. We caught more illegals than I care to remember but we also knew then what their reasons were for undertaking such a dangerous journey as well as expensive to get here. Instead of chasing them until the driver would wreck out, we would allow them to continue and motorola ahead. Those that bail out eventually would show up on a farmer or rancher property, thus began their employment. Those that we did catch was transported to the compound, (never placed in cells). We had our family to provide them food and drink without the tax payers money. We then called the local land owners and inquired if they need any workers. They would come to the compound and employ their ranch hands on the spot. I do understand the fear from 911, however thanks to the Bush adminstration, that fear should have disappeared 3 years ago. Most of you who are just afraid because of your gene pool should realize that because of the way things are, there are people who still want to work and do the work that I doubt any of you would want to do. It's cheaper to employ them than to blame them for all of your fears.

the illegal problem will not get taken care of until politicians are effected. Only when they find them in their houses will the problem be addressed.
perhaps we should bus them to politicians neighborhoods.

LEARN THE UGLY TRUTH?

Harry Reid starts new push for amnesty!

JUDICIAL WATCH is one of very few advocate watchdog legal groups that see illegal immigration, as a progressive cataclysmic nightmare for the working American. The fact is America settles the largest population of new immigrants in the world. The liberal media number of 12 million illegal aliens hasn't changed in ten years? The courts are Judicial Watch strongest tool against such issues as illegal immigration--not immigration, E-Verify, employer sanctions, 247(g) police enforcement, sanctuary states and cities, foreign national gang members, the NAFTA/CAFTA unfair trade agreements that are stealing jobs, outsourcing US jobs, political corruption, the sham border fence and other criminal enterprises that fester below the surface. Read the uncensored facts not lies at www.judicialwatch.org, www.americanpatrol.com

Nah N45BA, you'll be OK this time since you didn't mention dump trucks. We've gone from calling them **tbacks, to migrant workers, to illegal aliens, to undocumented, to indocumentados. Sheeeesh, what a load of crap.

Have you ever noticed that when people speak out against illegal aliens and illegal immigration, they are called "bigots" or "racist?" I guess you're not supposed to support law officers or want your country to protect its borders and citizens from illegal intruders. My wife is Mexican, and she is sick and tired of the illegals. Fire away, this is my last post on this subject.

N4LMNOP whatever - what a nasty excuse for a human you seem to be.I've had a few chases by my house and one when I live in Splashus - it was ugly, we had young children and an idiot was being chased by 5 police vehicles around about 5 blocks, kept coming by the house. We frantically located the 11 children that lived on our block and tried to get them all away from the front of the house and the street - as far as possible. The cops chased the driver into the yard, where he hit a tree. In the lot where the kids played kickball. You are delusional if you think you want that on your street. Or just narrow-minded and selfish and bigoted.This thread is so far off topic, so see y'all at another debate, hope that is has more people who can actually address the issues at hand instead getting on their soapbox to slam indocumentados. (Yes, it is the politically correct term - I would rather NOT offend people I know of Hispanic ethnicity)

BTW you missed the high speed chase that occurred in Houston this week resulting in one dead teen and another not expected to live in the hospital.  On the eastern outskirts of Houston.  No, the teens weren't driving....

Let's be realistic, Haloflight coming in is not free and neither will be the hospital stays. Congrats Goliad County residents, we will all have to pay their tabs as not one single person in that vehicle has any kind of insurance, including the driver!

I'm in total agreement with you, Mike.

I hear you lstar43 but the point I was trying to make is
1)The EPA would come down on the packing plants big time and the American workers would have to get at least minimum wage...What does that do to the price of chicken?
2)Hey ,I am with you ,I have been on these threads for over three years saying it is illegal to hire undocumented workers.

I was heard a pundit ask about the unemployed Wall Streeters (is that aword?)because they were not going to take the new construction jobs..I thought the same thing,you do what you have to do.

Have a good one

Mike....
I don't know what the Houston Chief's reasons are for his no-pursuit policy, but chances are I would agree with part of it. The factors are certainly different in a metro area than they are here. I still feel that its negative reinforcement even in Houston, but I do understand that chases are exponentially more risky with their population and traffic conditions.

I do believe many people ARE concerned with terrorists coming through Mexico. I have done research in reference to terrorism and the US/Mexico border is a concern....as well as Canada. I suppose that was a big reason for the additional agents, fences, and technology. I also believe these improvements are helping the situation along with Operation Border Star. We don't hear about near as many illegal captures and pursuits locally as we did a couple of years ago. I have no idea what, if anything, will stop illegal immigration completely, and I think the only wrong thing to do is to do nothing at all.

Thanks for the follow-up.

Well Mike,In my youth, I had to do those kind of jobs and was happy to get them. When you're out of work and your family is hungry, you do what you can to survive until something better comes along. By the way, I also mow my own grass. One other thing, it is against the law to hire illegal aliens.

Well lstar43
Do you want our returning soldiers working at the polluted packing houses @$6.00 an hour? How about roofing a house in 100 degree weather at the same price?

Now if the stimulus package creates new jobs repairing the infrastructure then a military record should be a priority and those jobs should be given to US citizens.

I get your point but we could not charge an employer with treason for his/hers hiring practices but we could make them famous by plastering their face on a billboard.

Chica...you are correct. Some terrorist do come into this country legally, but I argue that some do not. These people want to make a "calculated" splash, but desire to remain undetected until then.

I wasn't trying to change the direction of the thread, only lend credence to my arguement that the end does often justify the means. I also wanted to point out that in regards to pursuits involving illegals that not ALL of them are hard workers coming to America to make a better life for themselves and their families. Some come here with the sole intent and purpose of conducting criminal activity. Maybe these people involved in the rollover were laborers, but maybe one or more of them was a ranking gang member coming here to kill people. Not saying that is the case, but its food for thought.

Are you inquiring about police pursuit policy in Victoria? If so, these are handled at the descretion of field supervisors and it depends on a variety of factors. I don't believe the answer is as simple as "do or don't."

Hope this answers your question. You're a fireball and I think you would be fun to talk to over dinner! There would never be a moment of awkward silence!

We are quite possibly the only country in the world that doesn't secure its borders. I fear that one day we are going to pay a heavy price for our government's refusal to protect its citizens. If you think it can't happen here, you're mighty foolish. And with the economy being what it is, I consider anyone who will hire an illegal alien, instead of an American citizen, to be a traitor. Let's start hiring returning soldiers who've fought for this country rather than people who break our laws and come here illegally.

LOL Golaid. Yeah, you gotta love it here.

I didn't get all that info from reading the story - school zones at 1 pm? I'm sure you know better than I, as I don't have any little children going to the elementary school, but I don't remember one being on Hwy 59...but I don't live "in town" either.

Yes, you are correct, there haven't been chases in a few months, but now we have to restart that counter again, don't we? Maybe I'm just a weinie but I can't see that the end justifies the means. I'd rather err on the side of public safety on the roads than have high speed chases.

Maybe it could be more like they enforce tickets. LE just waits until you get pulled over again and bam they got you and you have to pay the fine. If everyone had to have an ID to get work and employers were heavily fined for hiring illegals, we could just wait them out.

Pretty good post gimmeabreak but.......

1.According to the police chief of Houston traffic violators that run away are not worth the risk but I do understand hypotheticals can go either way
2. If we were that concerned with ME invading through Mexico we would have sealed the southern border on September 12,2001 although a hijack did come through Canada.
BTW Canada has 2000 miles of unprotected border..Don't you think one ME might try that entry point,especially since Canada has a very liberal immigration policy?

18,000 new border agents,UAVs,motion sensors, and fences has managed to catch about 2000 a year so if the federal response is not enough. Why not?

Gimme,
Thanks for the well-reasoned argument and I think we'll just agree to disagree. All would be solved if we could secure the border at the border and if our govt came down hard on people that knowingly employ undocumented workers.

IMO terrorist seem to come into this country quite legally and I don't remember hearing about any of them coming in from Mexico. Comparing terrorists and undocumented workers is like comparing apples to oranges - one wants to stay hidden and make money while the other wants to make a big "splash" with a terror event.

But...the thread is about high-speed chases and whether the officers should pursue at high speeds until the suspects are caught.

Some on this thread believe the end justifies the means, however most of them will not be in danger when the pursuit happens.

Does anybody know what the policy is in Victoria?

Will anyone else answer my questions?

I told myself that I wasn't going to get into this, but I was developing an ucler from reading the posts. So...here we go!

First of all, I'll tell you what authority a Texas Peace Officer has to detain a suspected illegal immigrant...none. So how do they do it? They call Immigration & Custom Enforcement when they contact suspected illegals, give them the information regarding the traffic stop (in this particular case), and Immigration places a "detainer" on the suspected illegals. This is what gives a Texas Peace Officer the authority to haul them to jail where they are subsequently remanded to Immigration.

I also like the point Yume makes regarding pursuits. A police officer seldom knows why a violator is fleeing, but you can always bet they're up to no good and need to be apprehended. Often the pursuits end without incident, and we never hear about those. We mostly hear about the "dirty laundry" because THAT is what sells papers!

Now, the helicopter gripe! There is little chance that a MEDIVAC chopper is going to be called in to monitor a POLICE PURSUIT! A medical heli may come out if needed for a more controlled incident, but if there's any chance that the bad guys have guns, the medics have nothing to shoot back with besides needles and will NOT be put in that situation. That heli came out for its intended purpose...medical transport. We are nowhere near a metro area where police air support is readily available. Unless the DPS chopper is in the air locally for some reason, there is no sense in calling for it because it comes from Corpus.

I think we can all agree that police pursuits are dangerous for EVERYONE involved, including innocent motorists and pedestrians. With that being said, I maintain that they are a necessary evil. I also agree that not pursuing violators is negative reinforcement. If they learn that they can flee and not be pursued, where is the deterrent from crime? "Dude...if the cops see us, we'll just run because they can't chase us!" Hmmm...I feel safer already.

Chica...I admire your tenacity, but I respectfully disagree with your arguement. Mexico is an open door to our great country. No one should fool themselves by thinking that only Hispanic people are being smuggled in. Illegal immigrants from many countries have been recovered locally, incuding but not limited to the Middle East. One of these loads of illegals just might have Osama Bin Laden tucked away in it one day. Wouldn't it be fun to have that nutjob in OUR country? Immigration is not only a Federal issue because it affects ALL of us. Local LE needs to do as much as possible to assist. Just ask the Indians.

Did you miss the part that you kept harping about it being FEDERAL crime?

Payed attention to all the information. Just my interpretation of what all was said. Yes Go Laid! Gotta love it here.

Golaid, how do you know so much about the chase?

And did you spell Goliad as go laid on purpose?

Did you miss the part where I said "I don't think anyone is upset because they were apprehended" or "The chased ended and the bad guys were apprehended..Good grief."

Yep, same way local and sate law enforcement can detain illegals and hand them over to ICE.
Either way, apples and oranges or oranges and apples, it is legal.

The vehicle was speeding through a school zone. The deputy was attempting to stop them for that violation and didn't realize they were undocumented until the truck rolled and bodies started flying. There were only four undocumented's in the vehicle the rest were in the the bed laying low. It was totally up to the driver to drive that fast and nearly kill the people in his vehicle. The deputy stayed as far back as possible. There has not been a pursuit or chase or whatever you want to call it in Goliad County in many months. Yes pursuits are unsafe. But every time an officer attempts to stop a vehicle - that's unsafe. Especially when people don't move over to the right and at least slow down to get out of their way. Don't try to justify your personal predilections with assumptions of fact.

perhaps I should have said federal crime and only a misdemeanor for a first offense of illegal entry only subject to deportation...2nd and third offenses can lead to stiffer restrictions like a 20 year ban or for life.

Under Title 8 Section 1325 of the U.S. Code, "Improper Entry by Alien," any citizen of any country other than the United States who:

Enters or attempts to enter the United States at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officers; or

Eludes examination or inspection by immigration officers; or

Attempts to enter or obtains entry to the United States by a willfully false or misleading representation or the willful concealment of a material fact;
has committed a federal crime.

Not Rocket Science People!
sheesh

Entering this country illegally is a FEDERAL MISDEMEANOR.

Robbing a bank is a crime that local police can legally arrest.
Talk about apples and oranges.

The other night on ABC's "Homeland Security" it was stressed over and over that the border patrol cannot arrest a drunk driver ;only detain them for local and state authorities whose job it is to enforce state laws...Anyway the local law enforcement took about three hours before finally arriving and HLS was about to release this person because they did not break federal law.

lol love the batman reference....

There really aren't that many roads leading out of Goliad and no one can outrun a radio.

What I can't seem to get across to most of the posters on this thread is that there has to be a better way to apprehend the "runners" than chasing them down at high speeds on well-traveled roads. If there was another way for me to go to work and my kids to go to college, I would probably take it, but that is not an option.

We have enough natural "dangers" on that road, like deer, hogs, and cattle.

You didn't respond to the questions I posed and I look forward to your responses.

arrogant? nope

Other places have a no chase policy, I assume that your comments apply to them as well?

Public safety on a much-traveled highway is my only concern.
My family is part of that public.

10 people injured and taken to the hospital for treatment = $50,000 (at LEAST)

1 life flight (apparently we can get helicopters for this) = $$$$$$$$

Catching undocumented Mexican national = priceless (?)

Yume said
As to the nature of the offense, it is NEVER known until the suspect is caught most times. The stop may initially be for a tail light out, but people don't run from cops because of that, if he runs, its sure to be because of some other reason the officer is not aware of (Drugs in the car, just committed murder, whatever).

I heard the Houston police chief explain why he will not allow his officers high speed chase traffic violators; on a question and answer show on KTRH.

Question: Chief, what if the violator does not have an outstanding warrant but might be guilty of a recent crime the officer is not aware of?

Answer: We do not enter into a “let the ends justify the means” situation and jeopardize the safety of the public.Our studies prove (although some will get away)that the citizens and our police officers are better served this way.....While I understand Houston is a huge city and it has less wide open spaces the police chief did some reasoning before coming to his conclusion.

The chased ended and the bad guys were aprehended..Good grief.

Yume I don't have time to read that lengthy response but I appreciate your reasoning from what I read.

Of course I'm somewhat egocentric about this, except that that definition means I'm only concerned with myself and that is absolutely not true. I am concerned with the safety of my family and other citizens driving down that highway.

I don't think the cost of nabbing people who break immigration laws is worth the potential danger.

If they were gun-toting bank robbers who just stuck up the bank and shot someone, the cost might outweigh the risk, but that is NOT the case here.

Why don't you answer the questions? I would be very interested in your responses.

Mostly this is between me and others because they have no idea what it's like to try to pull out of the driveway of your home and have to watch coyotes and cops drive down an FM road at speeds of over 100 mph. I certainly care more for my family and their safety than I do about catching those guys.

williet
communing with nature? give me a break.
We do silly things on Hwy 59 like, oh I don't know, go to WORK and COLLEGE.
Every day, 5 days a week we make 3 trips to Beeville and at least 1 to Goliad.

Answer the questions - I dare you.

You're sure the hospital is not worried about the bill ?!?!?!Where have you been? This is always an issue.We have cops to remind people not to speed as well as posted speed limits.Again, you skirt the issue to avoid answering the real questions and apparently you need a reason to be snarky. I don't have a problem with police catching speeders - I don't want high speed chases where I live and drive. It is an issue of safety for the public, an issue of policy, and an issue of benefits/costs.If you are going to address me, at least have the courtesy to stay on topic and comment on what I did say instead of jumping on the "i hate all illegals" bandwagon.

The questions that only one person answered are:

1) Would you want high speed chases in front of your house on a regular basis?
2) Is is worth any Texan's life or limb to chase undocumented Mexican nationals that are:  a) already across the border, b) have apparently made it thru several checkpoints?

I'm sure that the hospital district isn't worried about the bill. Surely the driver had the state mandated liability insurance so that will pay for all their treatment. As for them speeding along your road Goliadchica, why don't you just put up a sign telling them not to do that because you or your children might be driving along there communing with nature. I'm sure they will be more than happy to obey the sign because they are such outstanding individuals. Oh Yeah, almost forgot, you might want to write that in something other than English so these 'indocumentado' speeders can comprendo!

You are welcome but I agree some are just skirting the issue....IMO
Have a good one.

Mike, thank you for your concise summation.

I don't think anyone is upset because they were apprehended but that discretion should be used since road blocks and county to county communication is pretty simple and it does not escalate the situation.

Disagreeing with procedures or actions should not put you on a un-American list.

A plug for ABC's new show called "Homeland Security."..This show deals with the everyday problems on our southern and northern border....Qiite informative.

I will agree with you there, Wondering. There are plenty of jerks that drive too fast - which is why I back the Goliad cops. They do a great job of catching those jerks - and with a happy by-product of many people (my kids included) know that it isn't worth speeding down Hwy 59 in Goliad county.For me, the potential cost of continuing a chase at really high speeds just doesn't justify the potential danger to Texas citizens.

Riverboat - thanks for actually answering the question in a thoughtful and respectful manner.  I like to be on these conversations for intellectual debate, not to just argue. 

I'll answer your question. To be honest, no, I don't really want high-speed chases to pursue illegal aliens. I'm simply pointing out that the newspaper of record here printed what I took as verifiable fact. If I'm a police officer and a car speeds away from me, I have to assume the person driving is up to no good and is already a danger to the community.

As far as the high speed chases go. I still back the police officers. I have many times almost been run off the road because of these jerks. And they are not all illegals. They are locals that do it. I see them too much.
So if they don't chase them down, and stop them, they will some day kill somebody, themself, or both. It is against the law to drive at high speeds on the roads. Unless your a police officer doing your job.
So I pray that no one gets killed because, some person just freaking wants to drive at a high rate of speed, just to get away from the police, or to get caught breaking the law.
I guess they have a death wish for all of us, and themselves.

BTW - I haven't heard of anyone who doesn't know how tough the cops are in Goliad and how you have a really high chance of getting pulled on in this county.

That said, the officers keep the peace around here and everyone watches their P's and Q's. It's very safe here, except for the darned chases.

It is obvious you don't live in Goliad County.
The officers are always looking for indocumentados.

So why does everyone want to debate silly points and not address my original comment or either of my questions?

Could it be because you don't have an answer or just don't want to say that you'd rather have someone hurt than let some illegals further into Texas?

OR that it OK by you if me and my family are in danger so that you can be smug and self-satisfied that the undocumented Mexicans aren't getting close to Victoria?

Just say it if that's how you feel....be honest.

im curious as to why he thought the vehicle was stolen ?

was there a report out for a stolen vehicle matching the van he spotted ?

You were there, right? Were they all holding signs to let the police know it's okay, they were just illegal aliens looking for work and not transporting illicit substances?
I'm pretty sure most illegal aliens try to keep a low profile. Ten people trying to elude detection and showing themselves while driving through the middle of town doesn't make sense to me.

I am surprised how many people don't know it's a federal misdemeanor to enter into this country illegally not a state,or city law.

Many cities have abandoned high speed chases because it is not worth the risk of their police officers or innocent travelers for a minor traffic infraction.

I guess that puts me on wayward's un-American list...lol

And if it's true, the officer risked plenty of lives trying to attempt a stop of a stolen vehicle with 10 criminals in it in the middle of Goliad.

Somebody answer the questions -

WOULD YOU WANT HIGH SPEED CHASES HAPPENING WHERE YOU OR YOUR KIDS DRIVE?

IS IT WORTH ANYBODY'S LIFE OR LIMB TO CHASE INDOCUMENTADOS THAT ARE A)ALREADY IN TEXAS AND B)APPARENTLY SLIPPED THROUGH SEVERAL CHECKPOINTS ALREADY?

Don't you people realize this is a common occurrence where I live?

oh come on, does anybody actually believe that?
He stopped them because there were 10 freakin people in the truck.

GoliadChica - "I get it, you all say its worth people's lives to stop a few undocumented Mexicans from getting further into Texas."
I've got the newspaper right in front of me as I write this. A detective in Goliad said, "At first, [Deputy James Garner] thought it was a stolen vehicle. ...He wasn't suspecting there were illegals."

no dohbahma - you haven't read my post and you're jumping on the bandwagon.

Again my concern is for my family and myself.

please re-read - i don't defend any illegal activity.

again - I DON'T WANT HIGH SPEED CHASES WHERE I OR MY FAMILY DRIVE.

It would be a more productive debate if people didn't give those knee jerk reactions and actually READ what I'm saying.

wayward - those comments just too silly to even comment on except to say "Puhleez...."

Chica,
I agree with wayward. It appears your main concerns are for the illegal criminals, or as you prefer "indocumentados". Call them what you like but when they sneak across our border illegally, they are criminals. It was not my intention to be condescending but last time you started whining about not chasing criminals someone pointed out that if a suspect runs at a high rate of speed they have to be "followed" at a high rate of speed and yet you continue. Therefore, I thought I would try to do a better job of explaining the problem with your logic.
BBJ- It is my experience that when local law enforcement is involved with the criminal immigrants it is because they have broken a local law, as in the case we are discussing. Local law enforcement did not set out to enforce immigration law, but were simply apprehending criminals that turn out to be illegal criminals.
Cmolina-I am aware that large metro areas that have air support in the air already have no chase laws but Goliad does not fall into that category. By the time you get air support in place or a roadblock setup these folks are long gone. I repeat, for air support, radio support or even roadblocks to work the law officer has to stay close enough to provide pertinent information.
I’m beginning to see a pattern here.

How the heck did you people go from high-speed chases to not supporting law enforcement?

I'm not going to debate semantics with you about the definition of the word "criminal" - that is off-topic.

My opinion, and it is just that, is that I DON'T WANT HIGH SPEED CHASES WHERE I DRIVE OR WHERE MY KIDS DRIVE OR WHERE MY NEIGHBORS LIVE.

Is that clear enough?

I support law enforcement efforts in our area but I DON'T WANT HIGH SPEED CHASES WHERE I LIVE.

Do you want that kind of activity going on by where your children are?

I get it, you would rather have lawful citizens injured or killed  before you would let a few undocumented Mexicans from getting further into Texas.

Do I understand you all correctly?  It's okay to risk the lives of Texans to stop undocumented Mexican nationals from entering the U.S.

Oh please, terrorists?  Give me a break - we let the last terrorists in the country legally.

Goliad..."They aren't criminals until they are convicted."

HUH?!?!? A guy sticks up a gas station but he's not a criminal??? No, a criminal is one who commits a CRIME. He may not be a convicted felon until after the trial, but he is a criminal the moment he commits the crime.

People have to decide where their loyalties lie -- with their country or with their ethnic group. It seems to me you have made that decision and the country has come up short.

I agree with istar.
CNN or FOX news had a special report on the news about all creeds, from everywhere intering into Mexico, just to come across the boarder lines, to get into Texas. So it is a real problem, and I back our police officer 100% and more. They are doing thier jobs.
The ones crossing over are getting meaner, and more dangerous.
So all I can say is more power to our police force.

"OK GoliadChica,You have called for the high-speed chases to stop before."

You bet I have but it only concerned this case. I drive that road every week day and I don't want to be one of the unlucky ones.

"This is not difficult to understand but let us go over it."

Please, stop being so condescending. I understand perfectly well but have my doubts about your abilities.

"A criminal, the one you wrote about or the illegal involved in yesterday’s chase, are driving at a high rate of speed."

Here is your biggest problem with your logic. The officer attempted to stop the driver inside of Goliad for the usual "routine traffic stop" and THEN the driver ran. The officer had a real good idea that they were indocumentados and thats why he stopped them.

"Following them requires that the law officer drive at a high rate of speed." Actually NO IT DOESN'T. He didn't have to keep the pursuit up. There are such things as helicopters and radios - have you heard of them?

"Perhaps it would make you feel better if they are called high-speed follows. As you point out, no one can outrun a radio but you have to get close enough to relay pertinent information in order for a radio to be useful."

That's why there are dispatchers, cell phones, and oh yeah, wireless computers in the officer's vehicles.

"Stop trying to blame lawlessness on law officers."

That is not what I said - you should really practice your comprehension skills.

"If a cop tries to pull someone over, they should stop or at least know that they will be pursued and arrested. If we force a policy of not chasing, will not the criminals then know that they can escape by running?"

They aren't criminals until they are convicted. Didn't you read how the wreck happened? The driver almost hit another vehicle. I would rather have 1000 indocumentados get away than have 1 innocent person killed.

Many places have a no-chase policy.

The indocumentados in that truck didn't commit any crimes that physically hurt anybody AND now they are costing the Victoria hospital district a pretty penny. Someone could have been killed and there are other ways to follow people than high speed pursuit.

I support law enforcement in Goliad but I don't want high speed chases up and down the roads I travel on a daily basis. My children drive that road continually. This isn't the first high speed chase you know.

See how you feel when the police chase a truck full of indocumentados into YOUR driveway.

A police officer has the right to enforce the law, when people enter this country illegally, they are breaking the law. Do you realize that this pickup could have been hauling would-be terrorists? People need to wake up, this has nothing to do with race, it has everything to do with protecting "our" country and its "legal" citizens.

Many cities have policies about not engaging in high speed chases because of the risk of public life and property. At the point that a chase becomes a high speed chase air support should be used to track the suspects. Also, isn't it safer to call ahead and setup a roadblock further down the road. The suspects immigration status should have nothing to do with how a police officer pursues a suspect. Public safety should be the number one concern.

I'm all for people obeying the law. I also think that you should stop for the police.

I think illegal immigration is bad.

But someone please cite the leagl authority that Texas State Police Officers are allowed to enforce immigration laws? Why are local enforcement officers all of a sudden charged with the duties of federal requirements. Is it even legal for a localpeace officer to detain someone on the charge of illegal immigration?

If so, please cite the statute and the law that allows locals and DPS to enforce immigration laws. Just wondering?

OK GoliadChica,

You have called for the high-speed chases to stop before. This is not difficult to understand but let us go over it. A criminal, the one you wrote about or the illegal involved in yesterday’s chase, are driving at a high rate of speed. Following them requires that the law officer drive at a high rate of speed. Perhaps it would make you feel better if they are called high-speed follows. As you point out, no one can outrun a radio but you have to get close enough to relay pertinent information in order for a radio to be useful. Stop trying to blame lawlessness on law officers. If a cop tries to pull someone over, they should stop or at least know that they will be pursued and arrested. If we force a policy of not chasing, will not the criminals then know that they can escape by running?

These high speed chases have got to stop before this happens:

Officials: Teen Killed In Stolen Patrol Car Chase

POSTED: Thursday, January 15, 2009
UPDATED: 7:06 am CST January 15, 2009

HOUSTON -- A teenager was killed when a woman who allegedly stole a deputy constable's patrol car and was being chased by law enforcement caused a multi-vehicle collision, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Just follow the suspected people - they can't outrun a radio and they have to stop sometime.