Deport the Criminals First

Not to step on Patterico's schtick with that headline, but the San Jose Murky News has a chilling look at how the Feds failed to deport--or even investigate-- an illegal alien drunk driver who was recently involved in another terrible wreck that may caost a woman her leg. Not just the Feds, but also the San Jose police were forbidden from even asking about the suspect's status:

While most people think that once an undocumented immigrant is captured, deportation will follow, police, federal agents and immigration experts say that's not the reality:

• Funding woes mean immigration officials focus on those accused of serious felonies, such as murder and rape, instead of on misdemeanors and non-violent felonies.
• The rules are loose regarding when immigration authorities should be notified about a suspect's legal status.
• And experts note that even when an illegal immigrant does stand before an immigration judge, a huge backlog of cases means there's no guarantee of swift deportation, or even deportation at all.
That's because judges sometimes offer what's known as a voluntary departure. In those cases, immigrants promise to leave and then file paperwork upon returning to their home countries. But no one makes sure they actually do leave.

Meanwhile, in the WSJ, businesses are chafing under the threat of federal No-Match letters, because (as I pointed out here) they might actually be productive:

Some observers hope the legal challenge to the administration's latest enforcement efforts will revive congressional action on immigration. In the meantime, the policy could drive more immigrants to seek jobs in the off-the-books economy, where they have fewer legal protections from employment abuses.