The prosecution used a state law to address what has historically been a federal concern, and is believed to be the first of it kind nationwide. It's also brought plenty of attention to the New Ipswich police chief who brought the charges.
Jorge Mora Ramirez was joined at Jaffery/Peterborough district court by his father. The 21 year old roofer looked mainly at the floor during his arraignment and entered his guilty plea through an interpreter. After completing some paperwork downstairs, the Waltham Massachusetts resident left the courthouse without comment.
For New Ipswich Police Chief Garrett Chamberlain, the Ramirez plea was a long time coming. In the past year, Chamberlain's made a name for himself by collaring illegals. In addition to the Ramirez arrest, he's twice intercepted vans of undocumented construction workers only to have federal immigration officials let them go.
Such experiences prompted Chamberlain to try a diffenent approach with Ramirez, who he charged with criminal trasspass on the basis that he entered the country illegally. Chamberlain says all Americans need to wake up to the danger posed by lax enforcement of current law.
"Immigration officials are overwhelmed and border patrol are understaffed, but the message that we send when we have to kick them loose at the side of the road is there is nothing we can do about it. And I believe I've started to change that today."
Chamberlain's exploits have won him a following in the conservative media, on the internet and among immigration reformers. To Susan Tully, Chamberlan is nothing short of an American hero.
"Absolutely, to the people who have been active on this issue, absolutely."
Tully is a spokesperson for the federation for immigration reform -or fair. She hopes efforts like Chamberlain's will shame the federal officials into cracking down on illegal immigration whenever and wherever it's found.
"Enough is enough, it's time for the federal government and ice to take their jobs seriously and not pick and choose which ones of there they prosecute. They need to prosecute them all."
Those charged with policing illegal aliens, meanwhile, say Chief Chamberlain is manipulating the Ramirez situation in the service of a political agenda. Susan Greiner is a spokesperson for immigration and customs enforcement also known as Ice.
"This case in particular is about an illegal alien who had no criminal record who broke down on the side of the road. The police chief is choosing to use this to grandstand about illegal immigration and say the federal government is doing nothing about the issue."
Greiner says that's a complete mischaracterization. She says illegals get arrested every day -- particularly those who pose threats.
"We investigate cases such as illegal aliens working in sensitive security sites like Seabrook nuclear power plan, Manchester airport. We also investigate people who smuggle humans or contraband into this country or committed atrocities. These are the types of investigations we do. Those who are here in this country without authorization are of interest; however, we concentrate our efforts on those who pose the greatest threat to national security and public safety."
Back in the sheriff's town of New Ipswich, most passing in and out of the town market had heard of the Ramirez case. According to local retiree David Moore, the undocumented worker basically got what he deserved.
"Didn't he have an illegal driver license? He had a falsified ID. Was he paying social security was he paying his federal taxes? I doubt it."
But if Ramirez was slipping through the cracks of the legal system, so was his employer. Two younger men, a carpet cleaner and a roofer, say the Ramirez's case didn't surprise them. They knew of plenty of instances of contractors employing people in the county illegally.
"At roofing companies they have guys -- it's don't ask don't tell. I'm pretty sure they don't have papers."
"There out there everywhere. My buddy is a plumber. He was at a job and immigration came, they pulled a couple of guys out of there -- one of theme was hiding in the porta john."
The role employers play in illegal immigration is not lost on Chief Chamberlain. He says the federal government ought to crack down on them too. He adds that plans on using the NH trespass law against illegals workers as often as necessary.
