Been looking into this deal since WBTV first reported Velasquez’s arrest at noon on Tuesday. As so often is the case with our criminal justice (sic) system, nothing makes sense.

Mecklenburg has had a 287(g) program since February 2006. In October 2007 Velasquez was booked into the Mecklenburg County jail by CMPD on DWI charges. He stayed there 12 hours. If he is an illegal immigrant now, why wasn’t he deported then? Or was Velasquez deported and he came back? Or did he get a summons for a immigration hearing and never show?

I’m sure the parents of the little girls Velasquez is charged with raping would like to hear some answers to these very simple questions.

Update: About an hour ago Sheriff Chipp Bailey told WBT’s Keith Larson that Velasquez was in the country legally in October 2007 by virtue of entering the country legally on work visa in 2006 and subsequently applying for permanent resident status. As a result, there was no reason for ICE to hold him once he was booked into the jail on the DWI charges.

This new info immediately suggests two additional questions. From what country did Velasquez enter on the work visa? And did he have a U.S. employer sponsor?