Thread: Alaska: Immigration debate with Paul Bauer and Erick Cordero

Immigration debate with Paul Bauer and Erick Cordero


Interview by John Tracy
Thursday, Jan. 24, 2008

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Assemblyman Paul Bauer has resurrected his effort to get Anchorage police to enforce federal immigration laws.

Last November, Bauer proposed a city ordinance that would require police to ask traffic violators for proof they are in the U.S. legally.

The law would have also required police be trained to help federal immigration authorities crack down on illegal immigrants.

The mayor didn't like it, police didn't like it, Anchorage's minority communities didn't like it and neither did a majority of Bauer's colleagues on the Assembly, who killed the idea a few weeks later.

Bauer now wants Anchorage voters to decide the issue, and will ask his fellow Assembly members to put the question on next April's ballot.

Bauer and Erick Cordero, president of the Hispanic Affairs Council of Alaska joined Channel 2 News for an exclusive interview.

Channel 2 News: This would be advisory only. Tell us, what do you think police should do when stopping a motorist and why?

Assemblyman Paul Bauer: I expect the Anchorage Police Department to be part of our first responders in dealing with all sorts of crimes. The police are the first to encounter such situations with traffic stops and criminals on the streets. This additional task for them is to conduct a simple inquiry into the status of the person in detention.

News: Using the latest census data, Dept. of Labor Economist Neil Fried estimates there may be in the neighborhood of 2,300 illegal aliens in Anchorage, though of course, nobody knows for certain. But 2,300 out of a population of nearly 300,000 seems pretty small. Is there a problem with illegal immigrants in Anchorage we should be aware of?

Bauer: Just because the numbers aren't that high, and to some folks I think that is a high number, we can't diminish the importance. My numbers show that there are 7,000 to 12,000 illegal aliens in the state of Alaska.

We've been reported to in the Assembly that there are 700 or 800 gang members in the city we don't take that very lightly. I don' think we should take the issue of any lawbreaker into this country or into this city very lightly.

News: You're equating illegal aliens with gang members?

Bauer: What I'm equating is the numbers. We don't want to diminish the numbers to the intent of what we're trying to do here. I'm asking for the municipality to be part of that security effort.

News: Mr. Cordero, the last time Assemblyman Bauer raised this issue you helped organize an ad hoc committee to fight it. What are your concerns?

Erick Cordero, Hispanic Council of Alaska: The concerns of the Coalition of Alaska Immigrants Rights was that the ordinance that Mr. Bauer proposed the first time had a lot of problems that went beyond the scope of what he said he was trying to achieve.

We were concerned about the potential for racial profiling because unless police officers asked every single person they detained for their status it would encourage some type of profiling. That's something we completely oppose. A majority of agencies that oppose this ordinance oppose that portion.

Also Mr. Bauer has not provided information on how much this is going to cost, what the length of the training will be, how many resources will have to be diverted so that those officers get trained and become deputized federal agents.

News: Would you be offended if a police officer asked you for your identification?

Cordero: I guess it would depend on the context, but certainly. It's just not something that you ask someone lightly. If everyone gets asked in an impartial way I would not be offended. If I get asked because I have an accent, I'd certainly be.

News: Mr. Bauer, the Assembly last time was 8-3 opposed to your idea. What makes you think it's any different now?

Bauer: What happened the first time was that the public was denied a public hearing on the issue. It was squashed right away to move forward on public testimony. I want to put this out there as an advisory vote for folks to express their opinions on this.

http://www.ktuu.com/global/story.asp?s=7771914

Erick Cordero, Hispanic Council of Alaska

Hispanic Council of Alaska? Is there a Mexican Consulate there yet?
Is there any place in these United States that they havent invaded?

Hispanics in Alaska??? Of course, been there forever. They are known as Mexkimos, surely you have heard of them.

Hispanics in Alaska??? Of course, been there forever. They are known as Mexkimos, surely you have heard of them.

Assemblyman Paul Bauer reintroduces idea of police checks for illegal immigrants
By Grace Jang, CBS 11 News Reporter
KTVA
Article Last Updated:01/29/2008 08:21:41 PM AKST

Is illegal immigration a problem in Anchorage?
Anchorage Assemblyman Paul Bauer wants to hear from you. He wants to put the issue up for a vote in the upcoming election and plans to introduce the idea at Tuesday night's Anchorage Assembly meeting.

Many are asking why Bauer is reviving the issue when the assembly squashed it just two months ago.
The assembly did vote against it, but Bauer says the public didn't have enough time to get their voices heard.

The Anchorage Police Department has said it doesn't support it; and the department hasn't changed its stance.

"We believe the practices we have and the policies we have are working quite well. We think some of the changes he's asking for will cause additional burden on our manpower that we can use elsewhere," said Anchorage Police Department Deputy Chief, Ross Plummer.

Anchorage police say it's up to federal agents to deal with illegal immigration.

"We're not seeing a big problem with immigration committing a large amount of crime in Anchorage right now. Does it happen? Yes, it happens. But we're seeing it on a small scale, compared to maybe some other communities," said Plummer.

On Monday night Bauer plans to re-introduce a proposal to let voters decide if police should check for proof of U.S. citizenship during routine traffic stops.

"It's not racial. You're a citizen or you're not. It's just a simple check. No different from your driver's license registration, proof of insurance and proof of citizenship," said Bauer.

But Deputy Police Chief Plummer says illegal immigration is not a problem in Anchorage.

"I don't personally believe it is. I know there are some illegal aliens here. In my career I've run across them before, but we have a good cooperation with the federal government. And any time we've run into a problem with illegal immigration, we've contacted them and they've responded," said Plummer.

Police say if Bauer's proposal was made into law, it would create other problems.

"Let's say this did pass. Do you think it could lead to racial profiling?"

"I don't think it will. There's always the spectre that it is racial profiling to certain sectors of the community. So no matter if it's not happening, you'll have the impression that it is. So that's one of the dangers with it," said Plummer.

Bauer's proposal will be introduced Monday night if it has the backing of three assembly members. If it is successfully introduced, the issue will go to public hearing as early as February 12th.


http://www.ktva.com/topstory/ci_8111116

Originally Posted by blkkat99

Erick Cordero, Hispanic Council of Alaska

Hispanic Council of Alaska? Is there a Mexican Consulate there yet?
Is there any place in these United States that they havent invaded?

Yes, there now is a Mexican Consulate in Alaska. It's obvious why as well: to facilitate the mass migration of Mexicans into AL. To facilitate the distribution of false identification to every Mexican in AL. How much trade does AL do w/Mexico: ZERO.

http://community.adn.com/adn/node/116705
UPDATE: Bauer proposal dies

Posted by Alaska_Politics
Posted: January 29, 2008 - 1:40 pm
UPDATE: Bauer couldn't find another vote, and his ballot question proposal wilted without ever officially being introduced.
Bauer circulated some numbers today that he says show more illegal immigrant activity in Anchorage than people think. (I need more time to look at them.)
Meantime, Erick Cordero said it's good for Anchorage to be talking about these issues but invites Bauer to meet with local minority communities first, before proposing sweeping changes.

Originally Posted by blkkat99

Erick Cordero, Hispanic Council of Alaska

Hispanic Council of Alaska? Is there a Mexican Consulate there yet?
Is there any place in these United States that they havent invaded?

The two newest Mexican Consulates are to go in this year one is Idaho the other is Alaska bringing the total to 49

I just saw this ad

Immigration Assistance?
See our site for more information
on hispanic assistance in NC.
www.hispaniccc.com/Immigration
North Carolina

Notice how they target ads based on your ip address? North Carolina...

Originally Posted by jp_48504

I just saw this ad

Immigration Assistance?
See our site for more information
on hispanic assistance in NC.
www.hispaniccc.com/Immigration
North Carolina

Notice how they target ads based on your ip address? North Carolina...

"jp" it says error when I click on the link...