PARENT'S RIGHTS NOW!

COSTS OF JAILS AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

The Associated Press reported that local and federal authorities have identified more than 900 illegal immigrants detained in Mecklenburg County (Charlotte) North Carolina jails since a new federal program began there in April. According to the AP, of the 930 illegal immigrants identified by Mecklenburg County Sheriff's deputies, almost half, or about 450, would have been released had law enforcement not taken the time to identify the inmates as illegals. Moreover, at least 128 have already been deported.

North Carolina ranks ninth nationwide with up to 400,000 unauthorized migrants, according to the Pew Hispanic Center, a nonpartisan research group.

It seems to us, that rather than either incarcerating the illegals at taxpayer expense or deporting them at taxpayer expense, we could either charge the employers of the illegals for the expenses of deportation or require the employers to accept replacement workers from a Work Release Program made up from the ranks of parents jailed for non-support. If this were done, we may be able to avoid building so many expensive new county jails; furthermore those jailed for non-support would be given a method for catching up on their arrearages, thereby reducing the average lengths of their incarcerations.

The American Coalition for Fathers and Children published its views on the impact of the recent elections at http://www.acfc.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=1921.0&dlv_id=5881. Let us know if you agree with this organization's assessment.

DRUG SCREEN OVERHAUL SOUGHT

A recent article* in the Charleston Post and Courier informs us that a "committee of Lowcountry lawyers is studying ways to better regulate court use of drug screeners, whose findings play a crucial role in child custody battles and other sensitive cases." While we commend this group of lawyers for their efforts, we think there are are other areas of the Family Court System in South Carolina where reform is needed. For example:

NEW BIRTH PARENT REPORT RELEASED FOR ADOPTION MONTH

The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute released a new study on birth parent rights and well-being which finds that parents who choose adoption for their infants do not have their rights and needs sufficiently addressed in U.S. law and practice. Among other things, the report recommended that birth mothers be given at least a few weeks after childbirth before the adoption decision becomes irrevocable. The report also concluded that the rights of birth fathers deserve stronger protections, including notification of pending adoptions. Read the Press Release here and access the study here.