New Jersey slayings lead to change in arrests

TRENTON, N.J. — After a review driven by three slayings, the state attorney general Wednesday ordered New Jersey law enforcement to notify federal immigration officials whenever someone arrested for an indictable offense or for drunken driving is found to be an illegal immigrant.

Attorney General Anne Milgram reviewed the state's policy in light of the Aug. 4 execution-style killings of three Newark college students and the wounding of a fourth victim. One of the six suspects in the attack was an illegal immigrant who had been granted bail on child rape and aggravated-assault charges without immigration officials being alerted to his existence.

While saying she did not want to "Monday morning quarterback" the Newark case, Milgram said that if the policy had been in place when Jose Carranza was indicted on the prior charges, federal officials might have placed an immigration hold on him, meaning he would have remained in custody or bail might have been higher because of his immigration status.

The killings highlighted the need "to have a uniform state policy on notification to immigration," Milgram said. Before the directive, "all police departments in our state had complete discretion as to if, when and how to notify immigration authorities."

The policy applies immediately to all state and local law enforcement and to prosecutors. It also specifies that police notify prosecutors and courts when illegal immigrants are arrested.

The triple homicide rocked Newark and prompted an outcry over the lack of communication between local authorities and immigration officials.

That Carranza, 28, an illegal immigrant from Peru, was out on bail after being accused of committing serious felonies also enraged some, including state Sen. Shirley Turner, who on Wednesday urged bail restrictions for illegal immigrants accused of crimes.

A bail bondsman put up $150,000 for Carranza and he left the Essex County jail in May. Seven months earlier, he had paid $2,000 to get out of the same jail after being charged with assault and weapons possession after a bar fight. He was allowed to put up 10 percent after a judge set bail at $20,000.

Authorities said they did not know he was illegally in the country when those bails were set. Carranza, a day laborer, is now charged with three counts of murder and is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

Some questioned whether a policy such as Milgram's could have prevented this month's slayings and suggested a tougher approach could discourage illegal immigrants from reporting crimes. The directive, however, prohibits officers from checking the immigration status of crime victims, witnesses or people seeking police assistance.