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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 16, 1997)
) Wednesday - July 16,195^ The Battalion State officials complain of deportation program WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation’s immigration agency is falling short in identifying and removing foreign-born prison inmates who should be de ported at the end of their sen tences, state prison officials told Congress Tuesday. Appearing before the House immigration subcommittee, prison officials from Califor nia, New York and Florida ex pressed irritation at shortcom ings in the Immigration and Naturalization Service pro gram designed to expedite re moval of criminal aliens from the United States. The program is working well in Texas, however, where state officials have taken extra steps to accommodate the INS, a Texas prison administrator said. The decade-old national program, known as the Institu tional Hearing Program, dis patches immigration judges and agents into federal and state prisons for removal hearings be fore the inmates are released. The program covers non-immi grants, here lawfully and unlaw fully, who may be deportable as a result of their crimes or status as illegal immigrants. When the process works prop erly, INS is supposed to have de portation papers in hand for de portable criminal aliens at the time their sentence is completed. This allows for speedy deporta tion rather than having to incar cerate the inmate anew during deportation hearings—or release the person into the community. But the General Accounting Office said the immigration ser- vice didn’t initiate IHP hearings for nearly 6,000 of the 17,320 for eign-born inmates released dur ing the second half of 1995 from federal prison or from one of five state prison systems surveyed. California, Texas, New York, Florida and Arizona account for more than 80 percent of the foreign-born inmates in the United States. The GAO review covered the major states. Roughly 80 percent of the 78,200 foreign-born prisoners in state prisons and 24,470 in federal prisons are removable criminal aliens. Yet only a third were being re moved under IHP in 1995, said immigration subcommittee Chairman Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio. “Thousands of crimi nal aliens are released into American communities,” he said. “Many of these criminal aliens have committed serious offenses and continue to pose a grave threat to public safety.” For the second half of fiscal 1995, the most recent period surveyed by GAO, 1,899 criminal aliens were released into com munities because INS had not identified them as deportable. Smith expressed hope that INS will improve. “I don’t loiow what in the world would prevent you from going full speed with that task,” he told an INS witness. Clinton encourages Serbs to avoid taking revenge WASHINGTON (AP) — Worried about the safety of NATO troops, Pres ident Clinton warned Bosnian Serbs on Tuesday that "it would be a grave mistake” to seek revenge for the West ern arrests of war crimes suspects. Hoping the threat of force would defuse tensions, administration offi cials promised a potent response to at tacks on U.S.-led alliance troops. Western leaders are alarmed by the angry reaction of Bosnian Serbs to last week’s raid on sus pected war criminals and the sen tencing of another Bosnian Serb on war crimes charges. Two explo sions and death threats against U.S. troops are suspected to be the work of irate Bosnian Serbs. Clinton said the 1995 Dayton peace accords signed by Serbs clearly stated that NATO troops could arrest war crimes suspects — and that suspects should be turned over by local officials. “They have clearly not complied with that provision of the Dayton agreement,” the president said at the opening of a meeting with De mocratic and Re publican con gressional leaders. “They’ve made no effort to help us get any of those people.” "And so... they have no call to take retaliatory action, and it would be a grave mis take to do so,” the president said. He did not elaborate, but a White House official speaking on condition Clinton of anonymity said the Bosnian lead ership would be held responsible and the United States would react with a “swift, forceful response.” The stern admonishment was de signed to douse any smoldering vio lent intentions of the Bosnian Serbs, as well as put the American public on notice that the risk for U.S. troops is on the rise, officials said. Asked if he was afraid of retaliato ry action, the president told re porters, “Tm concerned about it. Of course I am.” Clinton is weighing whether to extend U.S. involvement in Bosnia beyond the June 1998 deadline. He is hearing criticism from all sides: Many lawmakers object to widen ing U.S. involvement; others argue that Clinton has not done enough to bring war criminals to justice. A&M Student drom on camping trip wi friends near Austin Amnaj “Ott” Phonephrachanh, a senior civil engineering drowned while on a camping trip with friends at Inks Hike State Park,!# tal Austin, Saturday around 3 p.rn. eia Nhat Nguyen, Phonephruchanh's best 11 iend and a senior bid iw gy major, said he and two other friends tried to resti dej Phonephrachanh after he began struggling while swimmii Sul Phonephrachanh went underand his friends could not findhimt irsl cause of the muddy water, Nguyen said. irlil Phonephrachanh was incoming president of Beta fau Omega fraten in ty and president of the Asian American Student Association two years a; un NguyensaidPhonephrachanhwasLnfluenti.il it lexasA&M. | “He was a friend to everybody and everybody was a friend tohia isii Nguyen said. “He affects a lot ofpeoples lives, especially in theAsiancoi erli munity around here.” j Funeral services will be at Chism-Smith Funeral Homeinlniii Texas Saturday at 1 p.m. A web site has been set up http://http.tamu.edu/-ott with additional information aboutftina services and Phonephrachanh’s death. Industry to increase awareness of cybersmut Software companies hope to avoid Internet v-chip Campus Calendar Wednesday WASHINGTON (AP) — Hoping to avoid a v-chip for the Internet, the computer industry will an nounce at the White House on Wednesday it will provide greater access to anti-smut software and work to flag Internet sites that are clean enough for kids. Weeks after the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional a law de signed to keep cyberspace’s seedy side away from children, the White House is urging the computer in dustry and parents groups to take such voluntary steps to make the In ternet safe for youngsters. “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel here and we don’t need a v- chip for the Internet. We have tools out there which are 100 percent available,” said Jerry Berman of the Center for Democracy and Technol ogy, a group that works to protect computer users’ civil liberties. They just need to be more widely used and understood, he said. President Clinton and Vice President A1 Gore, a computer enthusiast, will be hosts for the private meeting Wednesday. ^ ^ We don’t need to reinvent the wheel here and we don’t need a v-chip for the internet. Jerry Berman Center for Democracy and Technology About 30 to 40 people are ex pected, including representatives from America Online, Netscape Communications Corp., the Na tional Parent Teacher Association, and electronic civil liberties groups. The Writing Center (Dept, of English, Texas A&M): The Writing Center in 249 Blocker will consult with anyTAMU student who needs help with his or her writing projects for Summer II. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Come by or call 862- 4181 for more information. Aggie Roadrunners: There will be a daily run of 2-3 miles beginning at 7 p.m. in front of G. Rollie White. Run ners of all levels are encouraged to attend. For more information call Hank Bullinger at 821-6339. Texas A&M Women’s Rugby: There will be practice from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the TAMU Rugby Field. No experi ence is necessary. For more infor mation contact Wendy at 696-9012. Thursday The Writing Center (Dept, of English, Texas A&M): The Writing Center in 249 Blocker will consult with anyTAMU student who needs help with his or her writing projects for Summer II. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Come by or call 862- 4181 for more information. Aggie Roadrunners: There will be a daily run of 2-3 miles beginning at 7 p.m. in front of G. Rollie White. Run ners of all levels are encouraged to attend. For more information call Hank Bullinger at 821-6339. Texas A&M Women’s Rugby: There will be practice from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the TAMU Rugby Field. No experience is necessary. For more information contact Wendy at 696-9012. Friday The Writing Center (Dept, of Eng lish, Texas A&M): The Writing Cen ter in 249 Blocker will consult with any TAMU student who needs help with his or her writing projects for Summer II. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information call 862- 4181 or come by. Sunday TAMU Chess Club: The TAMU Chess Club will be playing chess in 308 Rud der from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more in formation contact Scott Griggs at 696-3879 or griggs@myriad.net. Monday The Writing Center (Dept. ofEngi Texas A&M): The Writing Centei 249 Blocker will consult with anyTl ^1 student who needs help with hisal writing projects for Summer II. Ea are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Come by or call 81 5e j 4181 for more information. Aggie Roadrunners: There will lx imJ daily run of 2-3 miles beginnings :T . t j p.m. in front of G. Rollie' ners of all levels are encouraged attend. For more information! Hank Bullinger at 821-6339. Texas A&M Women’s Rugby: Tin j will be practice from 6 p.m.' ^ at the TAMU Rugby Field. Noexpt ence is necessary. For moreii mation contact Wendy at 69&901Iow icel What’s Up is a Battalion service! :iv lists non-profit student and facs f si events and activities. Items shout Hi submitted no later than three da: advance of the desired run daM plication deadlines and notices^ sail events and will not be run in id» Up. If you have any questions,plea lissi call the newsroom at SA5-3313, to| Proceeds for inneHcity youth diverted to Botanic Garden FRIDAY Weather Outlook SATURDAY WASHINGTON (AP) — In a cer emony on the Treasury steps, offi cials trumpeted commemorative coins honoring Jackie Robinson, with proceeds going to scholar ships for poor inner-city kids. What they didn’t mention — and what none of the U.S. Mint’s glossy brochures say — is that $1 million, nearly 20 percent of the expected total, will instead help expand the U.S. Botanic Garden at the foot of Capitol Hill. Former Sen. Bennett Johnston, a Louisiana Democrat whose wife, Mary, is a vice chairwoman of The National Fund for the U.S. Botanic Garden, got the money diverted late last session. Nine months afterward, bitter ness lingers. The developments illustrate the fierce politics surrounding the selection of subjects for the nation’s commemorative coins, pitting worthy cause against worthy cause. On a recent summer morning, the scene at the Botanic Garden’s glass-walled conservatory is as for eign as can be from the rollicking bleachers of Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field where Jackie Robinson ran, batted and caught his way into history, breaking baseball’s color barrier a half-century ago. The two worlds intersected last October when Congress autho rized a $5 gold piece and a silver dollar, both honoring Robinson. Eager to fly home to campaign for re-election, lawmakers approved the bill with little debate. No one mentioned the Botanic Garden would share proceeds with a non profit educational foundation es tablished by the ballplayer’s wid ow, Rachel Robinson. Thunderstorms High: 98° Low: 75° Partly Cloudy High: 99° Low: 75° Partly Cloudy I # 1 H 'gh: 99° Jm. .. J Low: 75° Skefeh By Quatr I n § pSl§ Da I— ■ H fc: TODAY’S DIGITAL IMAGING SOLUTIONS MINOLTA PRESENT THE MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA COME IN FOR A DEMO ON THE MOST AFFORDABLE SLR DIGITAL CAMERA Saturday, July 19th SYSTEM 10 am to 6 pm For More Information Visit nttp://w ww.precision-camera.com RD-175 SYSTEM Friday, July 18th & PRECISION CAMERA 8. VIDEO MacUser AWARDS Editors/ i Choice id 996 0 Winner, 3810 N Lamar • Austin, TX 78756 • 512.467.7676 NEW! Local Radio News ■ ■ from the newsroom of t/jj oi i campus and community news 8:04 a.m. Monday through Friday during NPR Morning Edition on KAMU-FM 90.9 College Station / Bryan Political Ethics and Open Government A nonpartisan review- of Texas legislation on finance reform, conflict-of-interest, and open government. Suzy Woodford, Executive Director Common Cause of Texas Wednesday, July 16, 1997 4:00 p.m. 230 MSC FREE Admission 845-1515 The views expressed in this program do not necesdrily represent those of MSC Political Forum, the AlSC or Texas A&M University P^scical Fcsrias oul Stew Milne Helen Clancy, Managing Editor John LeBas, City Editor April Towery, Lifestyles Editor Kristina Buffin, Sports Editor James Francis, Opinion Editor Staff , Editor in Chief Jody Holley, Night News Editor Tim Moog, Photo Editor ' Brad Graeber, Graphics Editor Joey Schlueter, Radio Editor David Friesenhahn, Web Editor Members Cnv- Assistant Editors: Erica Roy & Matt Weber; Reporters: Michelle Newman, Joey Schlueter & Jenara Kocks; Copy Editor: Jennifer Jones Lifestyles- Rhonda Reinhart, Keith McPhail, Jenny Vrnak & Wesley Brown Sports- Matt Mitchell, Jeremy Furtick & Travis Dabney Opinion- John Lemons, Stephen Llano, Robby Ray, Mandy Cater, Leonard Callaway, Chris Brooks, Dan Cone, Jack Harvey & General Franklin Night News- Assistant Editor: Joshua Miller Photo- Derek Demere, Robert McKay, W Angkriwan & Pat James Graphics- Quatro Oakley, Chad MallamS Ed Goodwin Radio- Will Hodges, Missy Kemp, Amy Montgoi^ 1 Michelle Snyder & Karina Trevino Web- Craig Pauli Office Staff- Stacy Labay, Christy Clowdus S Mandy Cater News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in the Division Publications, a unit of the Department of Journalism. 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