Hide Transcript Show Transcript

OFFICER WITH IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, OR ICE, WILL HEAR ABOUT IT. BEFORE SOME CASES ARE DECIDED IN JUDGE ROBERT RUEHLMAN’S COURTROOM, THERE ARE SUSPECTS WHO FACE AN UNEXPECTED PUNISHMENT, DEPORTATION. >> I DON’T SEE WHERE THE OUTRAGE IS. NUMBER ONE, THEY’RE AN ILLEGAL ALIEN. THEY’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE, SO THEY’RE BREAKING THE LAW. NUMBER TWO, THEY’RE IN FRONT OF ME FOR A FELONY. TODD: REUHLMAN IS A HAMILTON COUNTY COMMON PLEAS JUDGE WHO’S RAISING EYEBROWS BY ACKNOWLEDGING HE WON’T HESITATE TO CALL U.S. IMMIGRATION OFFICERS IF HE THINKS A DEFENDANT IS UNDOCUMENTED. >> THIS WAY, YOU PUT A HOLDER ON THEM AND THEY DON’T LEAVE. THEY’RE FROM MEXICO. THEY HAVE AN INTERPRETER. THEY’RE CHARGED WITH HAVING A LOT OF DRUGS THEY BROUGHT FROM IT’S PRETTY OBVIOUS THEY’RE ILLEGAL. TODD: RUEHLMAN KNOWS HIS CONVERSATIONS WITH ICE AGENT DON’T SIT WELL WITH EVERYONE. >> NOT EVERYBODY AGREES WITH THAT. BUT I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT. TODD: NANCY SULLIVAN IS AMONG THOSE WHO DISAGREE WITH RUEHLMAN’S APPROACH. >> I’M IN THE TRENCHES, WORKING ALL THE TIME WITH IMMIGRANTS. TODD: SULLIVAN HEADS AN ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS NEWCOMERS TO OUR REGION NAVIGATE THE LEGAL SYSTEM. >> WHAT I DON’T UNDERSTAND IS WHY THE JUDGE CALLS ICE WHEN HE DOES. IF THE PERSON IS CONVICTED, OF COURSE THEY’RE GOING TO GO TO THE JAIL AND ICE CAN PICK THEM UP THERE. TODD: SULLIVAN WORRIES THE CONTEXT OF RUEHLMAN’S PHONE CALLS TO ICE WILL GET LOST IN TRANSLATION AMONG LOCAL IMMIGRANTS, WHO ARE HERE BOTH LEGALLY AND ILLEGALLY. THIS HAS A VERY CHILLING EFFECT. >> -- >> THIS HAS A VERY CHILLING EFFECT. YOU KNOW HOW THE TELEPHONE GAME WORKS. IT’S GOING TO STOP AT RUEHLMAN. IT’S GOING TO BE JUDGES ARE CALLING ICE. IF I’M A CRIME VICTIM, I’M GOING TO BE AFRAID TO COME TESTIFY, AND THEN THAT PERSON’S GOING TO WALK FREE. TODD: JUDGE RUEHLMAN TOLD ME HE DOESN’T BELIEVE HIS PHONE CALLS TO ICE HAVE ANY KIND OF CHILLING EFFECT. HE SAYS IT’S MORE IMPORTANT TO STOP PEOPLE WHO’VE COMMITT

Advertisement Hamilton County judge calls ICE if defendants need interpreter, suggesting undocumented status Cincinnati immigration activist worries judge's stance will discourage crime victims, witnesses from coming forward Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Before some cases are decided in Judge Robert Ruehlman's courtroom, there are suspects who face an unexpected punishment -- deportation"I don't see where the outrage is," Ruehlman said. "Number one, they're an illegal alien. They're not supposed to be here, so they're breaking the law. Number two, they're in front of me for a felony."Reuhlman is a Hamilton County Common Pleas judge who's raising eyebrows by acknowledging he won't hesitate to call U.S. immigration officers if he thinks a defendant is undocumented."This way, you put a holder on them and they don't leave," he said. "They're from Mexico. They have an interpreter. They're charged with having a lot of drugs they brought from Mexico. I mean, it's pretty obvious they're illegal."Ruehlman knows his conversations with ICE agents don't sit well with everyone."Not everybody agrees with that," Ruehlman said. "But I think it's important."Nancy Sullivan is among those who disagree with Ruehlman's approach."I'm in the trenches, working all the time with immigrants," she said.Sullivan is director of Transformations CDC, an organization that, in part, helps newcomers to Greater Cincinnati navigate the region's legal system."What I don't understand is why the judge calls ICE when he does. If the person is convicted, of course they're going to go to the jail and ICE can pick them up there," Sullivan said.Sullivan worries the context of Ruehlman's phone calls to ICE will get lost in translation among local immigrants, who are in the area both legally and illegally."This has a very chilling effect," Sullivan said. "You know how the telephone game works. It's going to stop at, 'Ruehlman.' It's going to be, 'Judges are calling ICE.' If I'm a crime victim, I'm going to be afraid to come testify and then that person's going to walk free."Ruehlman told WLWT investigator Todd Dykes that he doesn't believe his phone calls to ICE have any kind of chilling effect. He reiterated his view that it's more important to stop people who've committed a crime by being in the U.S. illegally from getting out of jail.While Ruehlman's contacts with ICE officers appear to be unique in Hamilton County, Sullivan told Dykes it's not uncommon in other parts of the country. She said lawmakers in the state of Washington have proposed legislation to prevent such calls as part of a campaign to promote fair and equal access to the court system.