Huntsville—
Huntsville Mayor and City Council made the deadly accident involving two teenagers their top priority at Thursday's city council meeting. They called upon the police department's number two -- to learn, and share with the public details from the last week's tragic accident.Some of the meeting focused on driving under the influence convictions, DUI sentencing guidelines, immigration and customs enforcement officers, along with the deportation of illegal immigrants.
Folks at the meeting heard an answer to a question so many people have been asking-- Is Felix Ortega an illegal immigrant?
"I'm very confident at this point that he is here illegally. We have not received confirmation from ICE, but I am confident with information that we have he is here illegally," said Huntsville Deputy Police Chief Mark Hudson.
Huntsville Police Deputy Chief Mark Hudson puts it out there.
Questions about Felix Ortega's background have circled the Huntsville community ever since his arrest.
"I want to know what's going on in our community just to get some answers to a lot of questions that myself, and a lot of my friends have had," said Huntsville Resident Keisha Kelly.
There was no question about what Mayor Tommy Battle thought should happen to Felix Ortega.
"This case needs to be tried out in the fullest extent of the law. The person that broke this law needs to be pay the price to the fullest extent of the law," said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle.
Deputy Chief Hudson has heard cries from Huntsville residents suggesting his department has dropped the ball.
The department's number two in command says that is not the case.
"Our situation is that we can not arrest them if they are here illegally if that's all they've done, and we certainly can't deport them if they are illegal," added Deputy Chief Hudson.
Only the immigration and customs enforcement officers can do that. Right now, only two of them serve North Alabama.
Information learned at the meeting suggests Ortega will come to know one of those officers, but Deputy Chief Hudson does not want to see Ortega deported right away.
"Our intention is for this individual to stay in a Madison County Jail until he can be tried in front of a jury of Madison County residents, and a Madison County judge for the murders of these two young people," added Deputy Chief Hudson.
Several council members asked questions to get a better understanding of the accident, its progress so far, and how to keep more accidents like that one Friday night from happening. The council offered condolences to families of the victims.
Mayor Tommy Battle says the city is working with those in the state capitol to toughen DUI laws. He's also working with other lawmakers to get more immigration and customs offers in the Tennessee Valley.
