Edgar Martinez Sontay walked into Hamilton County Criminal Court in an orange jump suit, with his hands cuffed in front and his hair cropped tight at the sides.
Flanked by his lawyer and a Spanish interpreter, the 21-year-old nodded and responded quietly Wednesday as Judge Barry Steelman talked him through criminal justice concepts like juries and the burden of proof. The judge alluded, also, to the effect a guilty plea could have on Sontay’s immigration situation.
Beyond the courtroom, meanwhile, Sontay’s story has been among those used by the state of Tennessee to build a broader case, as well.
A form documenting his Oct. 14 arrest is one of some 2,700 submitted as grist for a recent report on unauthorized immigrant crime — as the state’s conservative lawmakers seek to establish standing to sue the federal government over the burden they say lax immigration law enforcement has caused. The report was the first under a law signed by Gov. Bill Lee last year, requiring law enforcement officers to report the immigration status of people in custody.
The first report, the scope of which spanned from October to December and came out a few weeks ago, was sparse on many details and provided little insight into local crime dynamics. The state also declined to make its source documentation available.