Officials to Probe Alleged Deporting of Eligible Aliens

Complaints that federal border patrol agents have been deporting illegal aliens who are eligible for amnesty spurred promises by a Los Angeles congressman and a high-ranking immigration official Tuesday that they would look into the cases.

The complaints were made public at a sometimes stormy three-hour congressional hearing into the impact of the 10-month-old national amnesty program for illegal aliens.

Religious leaders and immigrants’ rights advocates urged an extension of the one-year amnesty period ending May 4, while federal immigration officials said such a step would be inefficient and costly to taxpayers.

Rep. Howard Berman (D-Los Angeles), who chaired the hearing, expressed alarm about 18 separate reports of deportations of immigrants, most in the San Diego area. “Such behavior cannot be squared with the law, and it must cease,” Berman said.

Inquiry Pledged

Harold Ezell, Western regional commissioner of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, agreed to look into the complaints. “I will follow up on all the specifics,” he said.

Roberto Martinez, a representative of the Mexico Border Project of the American Friends Services Committee, said that in addition to the 18 cases that his organization had documented, other amnesty-eligible immigrants had also been deported. Agents have subjected “victims to humiliation, verbal abuse and suspension of their rights,” Martinez said.

Ezell became embroiled in an exchange with Los Angeles City Councilwoman Gloria Molina over who was responsible for large numbers of immigrants who have failed to apply for amnesty. Although more than 1.1 million aliens have filed for legalization since May, immigration experts suggest that at least 500,000 more eligible aliens have not applied.

“I don’t understand how you can find (illegal aliens) in raids but not in the amnesty program,” Molina said, adding: “It’s your responsibility (for those who fail to apply).”

“No, it’s yours,” Ezell replied testily.

Earlier, Roman Catholic Archbishop Roger Mahony of Los Angeles urged Berman and Congress to support a one-year extension of the amnesty program. Mahony said that without an extension, other efforts by the INS and social agencies to increase the numbers of applicants “will likely be ineffective.”

“As a result of indecision and the short start-up time, public confusion over eligibility, continually changing regulations and policies and inadequate public education, many qualified individuals and families have been discouraged from applying,” Mahony said.

“More time is needed to reach more people,” he said.