By Lisa Donovan
Chicago Sun-Times
COOK COUNTY, Ill. — Rather than being turned over to immigration authorities, 346 Cook County jail inmates have walked out of jail without delay after posting bond, serving their sentences or having their cases dropped in the nearly five months since county commissioners passed a controversial immigration ordinance.
From that group, 11 were freed only to be arrested again on new charges for drunken driving, theft and drug possession.
That’s according to Sheriff Tom Dart, boss at the 9,300-inmate jail, and among those testifying at a public hearing Thursday convened by the county board that OKd the new policy.
Now there’s a new push to change the policy and again turn over to immigration officials suspects charged locally with violent and more serious felonies, high-level drug cases and those on a terrorist watch list. Of the 346 let out of jail, one was charged with aggravated battery of a police officer.
There are currently 148 inmates with immigration holds still in county jail but up for release if they make bond. That group includes people accused of murder, sexual assault and aggravated battery.
“When you segregate out the violent acts on this, it should give everybody in this county reason to feel a lot more secure and safe,” Dart said.
Last September, the majority of county commissioners approved a policy change to ignore the immigration holds.
Copyright 2012 Sun-Times Media, LLC