Thread: Illegal immigration ignites campaign

Illegal immigration ignites campaign
Common Council Republicans blast Democrats for marching in support of 'Danbury 11'

http://www.newstimeslive.com/news/story ... rce=tabbox
By Mark Langlois
STAFF WRITER

DANBURY, CONNECTICUT -- The campaign season heated up Tuesday as Republican candidates for the Common Council took aim at Lynn Taborsak and Christine Halfar, their Democratic Party opponents who demonstrated Monday in Hartford in support of 11 illegal immigrants from Danbury.
"I just find it outrageous that someone running for office would be out there supporting people breaking our laws," said Joe Cavo, the Republican Common Council president running in the 3rd Ward.

Democratic Town Committee chairman Joe DaSilva said he doubts voters will make a decision in November on the candidates based on this one issue.

"Lynn Taborsak has a long career in Danbury of helping people," DaSilva said. Taborsak, a Democratic Common Council member and a former state legislator, is running in the 3rd Ward against Cavo and Republican Calandrino.

Taborsak's running mate is Democrat James Kelly, a former member of the Common Council.

"If a person has a deportation order against them, they should go," Taborsak said. "I want to know what happened here. I don't want a secret government operating behind the scenes."

Taborsak said she is defending everyone's right to due process. She said people in the 3rd Ward want to make sure their rights are protected.

Democrats rallied in Hartford on Monday in support of the "Danbury 11," who are immigrants charged in September 2006 with being in the country illegally. The candidates said they were protesting what they called an illegal arrest.

"When I first ran in 2003, illegal immigration was a big campaign issue. It was big in 2005, and from what I'm hearing when I go door to door, it's still a big issue in 2007," Calandrino said. He said he was visiting homes Monday night on Corntassle Road, and Saturday on Hawley Road and Valley Road.

"People are concerned with who is here," Calandrino said. "They are worried about illegal immigrants."

Taborsak said Monday she feared Danbury police officials were involved in planning the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid in Danbury that captured the 11 illegal immigrants. She and DaSilva said federal officials enforce federal immigration laws, not Danbury police.

The 11 men were day laborers who were caught in a sting by climbing into a van driven by a Danbury police officer who claimed to be a contractor.

"It's clearly an issue voters are concerned with, both pro and con," DaSilva said. "People can agree that laws need to be enforced, and they can disagree on how this case was handled."

DaSilva said he wishes the federal government would enforce its immigration laws. He also said he has questions about how the "Danbury 11" arrest was handled.

Democrat Christine Halfar, a candidate for the Common Council in the 7th ward, said she rallied in support of the illegal immigrants because the police rounded up the day laborers, then questioned them about their immigration status. She said that is probably an illegal arrest.

The question of the arrest was raised in court Monday by Simon Moshenberg, a third-year law student with Yale Law School's Jerome N. Frank Legal Services Organization. Moshenberg said the 11 men were arrested first, and then questioned.

"In a typical arrest, the ICE agent will stop someone, ask them questions, and then based on their answers, make the arrest," Moshenberg said. He said this case was just the opposite.

Moshenberg raised the issue in federal Immigration Court in Hartford on Monday before Judge Michael Straus. The judge continued the case to Oct. 15.

Contact Mark Langlois at mlanglois@newstimes.com or
at (203) 731-3337.

"I just find it outrageous that someone running for office would be out there supporting people breaking our laws," said Joe Cavo, the Republican Common Council president running in the 3rd Ward.

This is so encouraging. I hope there are people like Joe Cavo all over the country who have the courage to take a stand and speak out. It takes awareness and we need to use every opportunity to keep the issue before the public.