NH Police fight aliens

Frustration can lead law enforcement into looking into other options to enforce laws, and that is precisely what New Ipswich Chief Garrett Chamberlain did. Using the no trespassing law, Chamberlain charged Jorge Mora Ramirez an illegal alien with trespassing. Ramirez was found with a fake ID and a Mexican driver’s license when his vehicle broke down back in April of this year.

L. Phillips Runyon of Jaffrey District Court had ruled the Chief’s actions were unconstitutional. The District judge stated only the federal government could enforce immigration laws. However, according to published reports, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] did not want to take ‘workers’ into custody. ICE is the federal agency responsible for insuring immigration in the U.S. is legal. Recently President Bush’s appointment of Julie Meyer to head-up the department, the largest enforcement arm of Homeland Security has come under fire as being a political appointment.

The Runyon’s ruling has not deterred the stalwart police chief. Recently he was one of three featured speakers at a celebration of the signing of the Constitution featured by the New Hampshire Center for Constitutional Studies’. Other speakers included Rep. Tom Tancredo, [R-Colo.], a well known advocate for immigration reform and the founder of the Minuteman Project Jim Gilchrist.

In vowing to fight against illegal immigration, Chamberlain made a point to note that he would investigate a state law which prohibits employing illegal alien workers and fines the employer $1000 per day for each day the alien works. In addition, Chamberlain would like to see Attorney General Kelly Ayotte formulate a task force on illegal aliens.

Chamberlain has been with the New Ipswich Police Department since November 2002. He holds an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice and has been in law enforcement since 1993.