Allard: ICE office coming to Greeley


Vanessa Delgado, (Bio) vdelgado@greeleytribune.com
April 27, 2007



After heated debate from opponents and supporters, plans to create a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office in Greeley are now official.

According to representatives from U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard's office, the Department of Homeland Security has completed its survey to determine the need for a Greeley office and the answer is yes.

"I am very happy with the results and perseverance of Sen. Allard's efforts," said Weld District Attorney Ken Buck, who has pursued plans for an ICE office since November 2005. "I think they are going to help Greeley police by deporting more gang members and help with issues of identity theft."

Rather than opening a new office, Homeland Security will relocate its existing office in Brush to Greeley, according to the department's survey report.

"Greeley is a larger city with gang activity and several worksite locations that need additional focus," the report reads. A Greeley office will expand coverage in northern Colorado by enabling joint operations between Operations Investigations and Detention and Removal Operations, according to the report.

Last July, Allard attached an amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill that set money aside to evaluate the cost and need for a Greeley ICE sub-office and another office in Colorado Springs.

This caused an uproar within the Latino community, which has since come together to fight every effort to pursue such plans, claiming it would only fuel racism within the community.

"I am very disappointed that they decided to put an ICE office in Greeley," said Roberto Córdova, with El Voto Latino in Greeley. "I am sure that the Latino community will want all the facts that would warrant an ICE office to be revealed, and I am sure we will debate this latest move."

However, Buck and Allard maintain that an ICE presence would help Greeley enforcement agencies curtail crime and deport criminals determined to be in this country illegally.

"Having an ICE office in Greeley is a good thing, it has been needed for a while," Weld County Sheriff John Cooke said in an e-mailed response. "Homeland Security saw it as a need. The additional resources will be beneficial to the Greeley area due to the volume of foreign-born (inmates) at the jail and to help fight crimes like identity theft."

Cooke has said that at any time throughout the year, the jail houses between 100 to 125 inmates in other jails around Colorado because there isn't enough space in Weld's jail.

Carl Rusnok, director of communications for ICE's central region, said the agency recognizes that Greeley is a larger city with specific law enforcement needs and that ICE is reviewing the possibility of moving.

Steve Wymer, communications director with Allard's office, said an office may open as soon as this year.

Timeline

» November 2005 -- District Attorney Ken Buck proposes a U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Office to Greeley City Council and asks that the council study the need for an office in Greeley.

» January 2006 -- The Greeley City Council declines, saying it is a federal issue and the debate over an ICE office ceases. Buck continues to work with Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., and Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo., to push for an ICE office.

» July 2006 -- Allard attaches an amendment to the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Bill to require the assistant secretary for ICE to submit a report to Congress on the costs and need for creating ICE sub-offices in Greeley and Colorado Springs.

» November 2006 -- That measure is approved and money was set aside to evaluate offices in the two communities.

» April 2007 -- ICE officials complete the survey and determine there is a need to open a sub-office in Greeley and in Colorado Springs.


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