Immigration debate hits court: DWI treatment program used to skirt deportation, probation chief told
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Oct. 1–Mecklenburg’s DWI treatment court is accepting illegal immigrants and some of them may be avoiding deportation because of it. Robert Guy, who heads North Carolina’s probation program, said probation officers have overheard Mecklenburg’s DWI treatment court officials talk about sending suspected illegal immigrants to treatment centers, so they don’t go to jail and have their immigration status checked. “These people need to be in jail and deported,” Guy said. “I’m not going to tolerate this. “I’m hellbent that these people need to be deported. If they’re illegal, they need to be punished and deported.” The DWI treatment court is an intense, 12-month voluntary program for people convicted of drunken driving at least twice. It requires substance abuse treatment, drug testing and frequent meetings with a judge, probation officer and case coordinator. Todd Nuccio, Mecklenburg’s trial court administrator, and Janeanne Tourtellott, the drug treatment court administrator, said DWI treatment court officials are not shielding illegal immigrants from deportation. “There have been no discussions or concerted plan. Source : accessmylibrary.com |