Thread: Police Voice Concerns Over a Directive on Immigrants

Police Voice Concerns Over a Directive on Immigrants

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By KAREEM FAHIM and DAVID W. CHEN
Published: August 24, 2007

NEWARK, Aug. 23 — One local police chief called it a publicity stunt. In a sheriff’s office, the directive was passed out at roll call, by officials anxious to quickly comply. And another chief — one of many who spoke on the condition he not be named for fear of ruffling the feathers of the state’s top law enforcement officer — said it seemed like a recipe for racial profiling.

A day after New Jersey’s attorney general, Anne Milgram, ordered local law enforcement agencies to start inquiring about the immigration status of the people they arrest, local officials and advocates for immigrants across the state began grappling with how the edict would change the already complicated relationship between the authorities and immigrants on the streets they patrol.

In Englewood, where the police estimate that up to a fifth of the population of 26,000 are illegal immigrants, the authorities have long asked about immigration status, so “this doesn’t change things at all,â€

Originally Posted by controlledImmigration

Police Voice Concerns Over a Directive on Immigrants

Wouldn't it be wonderful if they were as concerned about illegal immigrants?

Originally Posted by controlledImmigration

And another chief — one of many who spoke on the condition he not be named for fear of ruffling the feathers of the state’s top law enforcement officer — said it seemed like a recipe for racial profiling.

It's not about race . . . it's about ILLEGAL!

Originally Posted by controlledImmigration

...local officials and advocates for immigrants across the state began grappling with how the edict would change the already complicated relationship between the authorities and immigrants on the streets they patrol.

Whenever I see "comprehensive", "difficult", or "complicated" used along with "immigrants" or "immigration",
I know someone is obfuscating the obvious. Mr. Big, illegal aliens are ILLEGAL!!!

Originally Posted by controlledImmigration

But in Freehold, where a lawsuit recently ended attempts by borough officials to fine day laborers, a new police chief, on the job for only seven weeks, said he was still trying to divine what Ms. Milgram’s instructions actually meant.

He should be trying to divine how to keep his job.
Isn't it amazing how a refusal to do the right thing can confuse someone.
"It all depends on what the meaning of "illegal" is."

[quote="controlledImmigration"]“I’m not sure how we’re going to go about enacting it on the local level,â€