Polinotes - Analysis & Research

Analysis and Research on Border Issues by Martin Paredes

Wed. May 1st, 2024
Papers

Paper No. 4: Does The Bond Schedule Used By The El Paso District Attorney’s Office Create A Double Standard For Mexican citizens In Violation Of The US Constitution? (June 2, 2009) Position Paper

Martin Paredes

In 2004, the use of a document titled; “Bond Schedule Approved by the Council of Judges” came to light in the challenge to the DIMS program in place in El Paso County. The document is used to set the bonds for criminal defendants in the County. The bond schedule delineates that “undocumented aliens” and “documented aliens” are to have bonds set at “4x” and “2x” of the amount set for a diverse set of criminal prosecutions. The use of this bond schedule to set bond for criminal defendants based on their immigration status raises several questions about the treatment of foreign nationals by the County of El Paso in opposition to the Constitutions of the United States and Texas, as well as International Treaties and accords to which the US government and the State of Texas are a party to.

Papers

Paper No. 3: Luis Posada Carriles El Paso Arraignment Creates International Intrigue And Public Policy Debacle For El Paso (May 28, 2005) Position Paper

Martin Paredes

The Luis Posada Carriles arraignment scheduled for June 13, 2005 in El Paso brings international intrigue and public policy issues to the city. What it also brings is the need to look inward towards the idea that the rule of law is paramount to America’s identity. Although the political intrigues lie outside of the purview of local government, El Paso’s judicial actors may set precedent the political agendas override the need to hold terrorists accountable.