Thread: ACLU wary of profiling illegals

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 3/-1/CINCI

ACLU wary of profiling illegals
Butler sheriff, ICE will work together
BY JENNIFER BAKER | JBAKER@ENQUIRER.COM

HAMILTON - Concerned about racial profiling, the American Civil Liberties Union and a group of Butler County residents, ministers, social service agencies and others requested documents Thursday showing how federal immigration officials will give the Butler County Sheriff's Office authority to enforce immigration laws.

"Immigration law is hopelessly complex," said Carrie Davis, a staff attorney for the ACLU of Ohio in Cleveland. "Most local law enforcement are not granted authority to enforce immigration laws because they require a great deal of expertise and experience in order to effectively and fairly implement them."

Their requests come one day after Sheriff Rick Jones announced that 10 of his deputies and corrections officers will be the first in the Midwest to receive training from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
ADVERTISEMENT

Normally, local authorities cannot enforce federal immigration laws. But once they complete the federal training, they can - as long as they work under the supervision and direction of ICE, not Jones, while making arrests.

Butler County and ICE officials will hammer out a contract further defining their roles. Once that's done, training could start as soon as next year.

Once a contract is completed, the ACLU and Butler County Community Alliance, a 75-member group that says it works to make immigrants feel welcome and safe, say they want to review it to make sure Jones and his staff stay within its requirements.

"Sheriff Jones already has demonstrated hostility toward the Hispanic population in Butler County," Davis said. "It is important to review the document and discern what he can do and cannot do."

Butler County Community Alliance also plans to circulate fliers in Hispanic communities to alert them of their rights.

"Maybe ICE can teach him the difference between immigration enforcement and racial profiling, because I just don't see how he is going to do that," said Shelly Jarrett Bromberg, organizing director of the alliance.

In May, Jones and his office were criticized by the ACLU and others after deputies detained 18 men for several hours after they admitted to being illegal immigrants.

Deputies encountered the men when they responded to a call of a fight about to occur at a Wayne Township home construction site. Jones had to release the men because they were not charged with a state crime.

A week later, however, deputies searched the offices of the contractor, Carmona Construction of Fairfield Township, on suspicions that the company was paying the workers under the table. That investigation continues, Jones said.

Jones said Thursday he welcomes scrutiny from civil rights groups.

"My job is all public," he said.

ACLU vows to act as sheriff's watchdog in immigration enforcement

http://www.journal-news.com/hp/content/ ... luice.html

By Chris Dumond

Staff Writer

Friday, December 15, 2006

HAMILTON — The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio has pledged to act as watchdog of Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones in the wake of his announcement Wednesday that he is in the process of gaining federal immigration law enforcement powers.

Although Jones claimed earlier this week to have the ability to enforce those laws, that authority is contingent on local deputies being trained by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Custom Enforcement Office and the execution of a document that would outline those powers and how local police are to work under the supervision of ICE, department officials said.

The ACLU has requested copies of the agreement from both the sheriff's office and ICE.

"Sheriff Jones has already demonstrated hostility towards the Hispanic population in Butler County," ACLU of Ohio Staff Attorney Carrie Davis said in a statement. "It is important to review the document and discern what he can and cannot do under this agreement and ensure he stays within those boundaries."

Davis criticized the erection earlier this year of billboards around the county featuring Jones threatening local businesses that hire illegal immigrants and his detention of 18 suspected illegal immigrants in May after an altercation at a construction site near Seven Mile.

"While the people must always carefully monitor the actions of their government officials, that oversight is especially important here, given the sheriff's apparently single-minded fixation on illegal immigrants, his demonstrated willingness to push the boundaries of his authority and the law in this regard, and the potential for abuse of any authority the agreement grants him," Davis said.

Jones on Thursday said only that the ACLU is requesting documents that do not exist and declined to address their criticisms.

As of Wednesday, ICE has signed eight such agreements with local and state law enforcement agencies with 30 others, including Butler County, in the works.

Neighboring officials in Warren County also expressed concern Thursday, but of a different nature. They fear an influx of illegal immigrants if Butler County becomes too inhospitable.

Warren County Commissioners Mike Kilburn, Pat South and Dave Young agreed Thursday to pursue the same powers and will begin the process with its county prosecutor and sheriff.

"We've moved the ball and the ball is rolling," Commissioner Mike Kilburn said.

Kilburn added that he thinks it's ridiculous that wanting to enforce laws is often criticized as mean-spirited or racist.

"Look, this is the United States of America. We welcome immigrants. We welcome people from other countries who want to come here. But we expect them to do it legally," he said. "Folks that are here illegally are going to be escorted out."

Middletown Journal editor Jen Roppel contributed to this report.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2025 or cdumond@coxohio.com.