Illegal Immigration Hits Home in Warren County

This is a local (SW Ohio) story. I hope it ultimately has national implications.

Two weeks ago I wrote on the death of Kevin Barnhill, and criticized a reporter who called his murder “tragic.” Specifically, I suggested the following alternatives:

• Kevin Barnhill’s murder was an atrocity committed by people who need to be locked up and have the key thrown away, or worse.
• Kevin Barnhill’s murder was an evil crime against a good person.
• Kevin Barnhill’s murder was a wicked act that cries out for revenge.

As I said, calling Kevin Barnhill’s murder a “tragedy” minimizes the evil of the deeds carried out against the victims. Mark Steyn made the same point about the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks yesterday:

Five years ago it was striking, even in the immediate aftermath, how many radio and TV trailers for blood drives and other relief efforts could only bring themselves over the soupy music track to refer vaguely to “the tragic events,” as if any formulation more robust might prove controversial.

Now we learn, as yours truly suspected but did not articulate at the time, that Kevin Barnhill’s brutal murder was carried out by two people who have no business even being here. One of them is still at large:

Residents want crackdown on illegal immigrants
Men accused in death of Warren County man’s son had entered U.S. without a visa.

HAMILTON TWP., Warren County — Bill Barnhill is determined to stop people living in the country illegally from calling Warren County home.

Barnhill’s son, Kevin, was killed in Mason last month and the men accused of the crime had entered the United States without a visa, police said.

Now Barnhill is among a dozen residents who have formed Citizens for Legal Communities to discourage people who have entered the county illegally from settling in Warren County.

Police continue to search for a man wanted in connection with the beating and stabbing death of Barnhill near the Mason Pub. Enrique Torres, 27, of Cincinnati is wanted for complicity to commit murder in the death of Kevin Barnhill.

Humberto Mota, 30, of Mason faces the same charge and is being held at the Warren County Jail with bail set at $1 million.

….. (Barnhill) and …. other residents met Thursday evening with county officials, including Sheriff Tom Ariss and Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel to learn what law enforcement officials can do to help.(Ariss and Hutzel) said residents must demand that elected federal officials beef up the number of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents that patrol Ohio counties.

“We have no authority to charge them for being illegal. They only thing we can do is charge them for violating laws,” Ariss said.

….. Mota was indicted two weeks ago in Warren County on drug possession charges for cocaine he had when he was booked into the Warren County Jail, officials said.

Three thoughts:

• Given the drugs Mr. Mota had in his possession, you wouldn’t want to bet against me that Mr. Torres is no longer in the country.
• The sheriff can get his deputies a minimal amount of training that will enable them to enforce immigration law on their own. Butler County applied to do that for ten of its officers last month (HT Porkopolis). Go here for details.
• Besides aggressive enforcement within Warren County’s borders, there’s not a lot that an average community can do to keep illegals from passing through and wreaking havoc as long as employers are willing to hire them (see this frightening story that took place in Warren County just a couple of months ago — the man who came back with a gang and was intent on killing his boss would not produce proof of citizenship), and as long as our lawmakers not only fail to protect our borders, but also fail to provide the boots on the ground required to get those who shouldn’t be here, especially criminals, out of here.

Kevin Barnhill’s death will not have been in vain if it mobilizes outrage against the status quo on immigration in Washington and leads to real change.

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UPDATE: The Cincinnati Enquirer had a longer story on the topic on Friday. Here are some key frustrating excerpts:

“How can a landlord be allowed to rent one apartment to 20 people without getting documentation from any of them?” asked Julie Stephens of Hamilton Township, a friend of Kevin Barnhill. She was referring to a complex where she used to live.

South Lebanon business owner Larry Lehman wanted to know why no one ever checks his paperwork.

He said it would confirm that all his employees are documented citizens.

They were exasperated to learn that when an illegal immigrant is arrested, immigration officials seldom come to deport them.

….. “One of our residents was killed brutally by an illegal alien,” said Judi Lehman, Larry Lehman’s wife and group organizer. “For years we kind of turned our head. Maybe it’s time we do something. We’re a small voice, but maybe we can help.”

Hutzel said her office has seen an increase in the past six months in the number of crimes being committed by people who are in the country illegally.

“It used to be fairly unusual,” Hutzel said. “Now we’re seeing one felony a week at grand jury.”

It creates problems for the prosecutor’s office because the suspects have no paper trail, she said. In one case, her office had to conduct DNA analysis to figure out the true identity and age of a defendant accused of having sex with a minor. He had false documentation showing he was 16. He was actually 26.

….. The American Civil Liberties Union admits the immigration system is broken, but warns that there is a fine line between strict immigration enforcement and racial profiling.

Earth to ACLU: There is NOT a fine line between being legally and being here illegally.