Thursday, February 23, 2012

Texas Senator Kel Seliger speaks to the Backgate about TDCJ hiring of immigrant employees

 By Doug Glass, Backgate Website

State Senator Kel Seliger (R) Amarillo, spoke to the Backgate Website yesterday regarding the hiring of immigrant Correctional Officers on temporary work visa status by the TDCJ. Back in 2009, Senator Seliger was interviewed by an Amarillo television station in regards to his stance on the issue. Senator Seliger stated that he was opposed to the hiring of employees under that basis. We spoke to Senator Seliger yesterday via telephone, and asked him what his thoughts were today. Senator Seliger stated that it's not an issue of the immigrant status, its a safety issue based on communication.

Senator Seliger
 Senator Seliger agreed that TDCJ needed to look at it's practice in hiring immigrants that have issues with communication. TDCJ responded to a Backgate request for information weeks back in which they admit that potential employees are not tested, or evaluated for their ability to communicate the English language, and that if they communicate well enough to make it through the interview process they are sent forward. This practice has shown to be disturbing at the unit level however. Correctional Officers we heard from via email and in person stated that the issues of safety due to the lack of understanding and communication were real safety issues on the job.

 As TDCJ is again over 2,000 Officers short statewide, the number of employees on any given facility are fewer then once before. That makes communication key in emergency situations that come up on those units. The ability to effectively understand and communicate are important in this type of environment. Senator Seliger also expressed our concern in the current Background investigations that are conducted on potential employees coming from overseas. The lack of available information on those originating from overseas poses issues with the ability to effectively verify an employees criminal record, education, and many other factors. Senator Seliger stated that he will revisit these issues with the TDCJ, and during the next Legislative session in Austin.

8 comments:

  1. THE AMERICAN EMBASSY IN EACH COUNTRY WILL NOT GIVE VISA TO ANY BODY COMING TO US WITHOUT RECEVING A DETAIL BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS REPORT FROM THE POLICE HEAD OFFICE , THE TDCJ CAN GET THIS FROM IMMIGRATION DEPT. DEAR SENATOR SELIGER YOU NEED TO REVISIT THE LOW SALARY PAYMENT OF CORRECTION OFFICER DURING THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE INSTEASD

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  2. We have a number of Nigerians at the unit where I work and I can honestly say that most of them have proven to be virtually useless. Supervisors have no choice but to place them in postings where they will do the least harm. The most egregious of the idiotic happenings so far involved a Nigerian who locked himself inside of a sally-port with 25 inmates who were returning from rec, while the picket-boss was locked in the opposite sally-port because she had to use the restroom. The two had switched and the Nigerian gave the picket boss his key and relieved her in the picket. When rec change was called for, he simply left the picket and went to retrieve the inmates on the rec yard, allowing the inner sally-port door to slam closed behind him. Shockingly, he has done this twice and has not been fired for it.

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  3. Ok... but do we trust the Nigerian Govt. to provide any REAL honest information on anyone coming over to the USA? I doubt it. The Nigerian Govt. is equal to that of Mexico.

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  4. Hell, I'm still waiting for that Nigerian finance minister to wire that 35 million bucks into my bank account.

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  5. There is of course the Rumor that The state of Texas receives 20K for each Nigerian it employs. I am told there is some truth to this rumor. Working in Seg, having watched Employees and offenders almost lose body parts, watching male Nigerians Treat Female officers like trash, including the Supervisors (including insubordination that If I was to do I would get fired, you dont tell a female Sgt, or LT, you do not take orders from them, period.)


    Meanwhile in Nigeria

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  6. 95% of them are garbage. Fill up the boat and send them back. It's safer running short of staff than running fully staffed with cowards. When an officer needs assistance call is made they run to the restrooms or they turn their radio off and say it doesn't work. I'm just waiting to hit 20 so I can leave this shit hole.

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  7. Attitude Determines AltitudeApril 6, 2014 at 3:17 PM

    When you work with someone who needs help,,work with them..If you are too "PIG" Headed treat everyone the same then I know where the weak link is. Yes money is one reason people leave, but you knew what the pay was when you signed on the Dotted Line! Attitude determines altitude!

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