Thread: AZ: Poll shows support for police enforcement of immigration

Poll shows support for police enforcement of immigration laws

BY HOWARD FISCHER, CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES
November 28, 2007 - 1:58PM

PHOENIX - A majority of Arizonans want local police enforcing federal immigration laws - but not necessarily if it detracts from their other duties, according to a new statewide poll.

And most don't want police rounding up those here illegally if it would require higher taxes.

But pollster Jim Haynes said the idea of police asking whether people are legally here has deep opposition from Hispanics across the board, ranging from newcomers to multi-generational citizens. He said that's likely because many fear the possibility of racial profiling in traffic stops.

The issue has proven divisive even within the law enforcement community, with many departments having policies strictly limiting the ability of their officers to call Immigration and Customs Enforcement when they come across people who may have entered the country illegally.

At the same time, the Arizona Police Association, composed of officers, has urged departments to reconsider those policies. And a few departments actually have obtained the required federal training for some of their officers to actually be able to arrest illegal entrants on their own, without ICE help.

The Behavior Research Center survey found 58 percent of those asked said they favor requiring police to verify the nationality of anyone they stop in the regular course of their duties. Another 32 percent were opposed with 10 percent undecided.

Support dropped significantly when Haynes asked how people feel if the checks reduced the time officers had for their regular law enforcement duties. He found 47 percent in favor, 38 percent opposed and 15 percent undecided.

And when asked whether people would support higher taxes to do both regular enforcement and check legal status, only 39 percent were willing to go along, versus 45 percent in opposition and 16 percent undecided.

Haynes said only 20 percent of those who identified themselves as Hispanics were willing to support having police check nationality in traffic stops, even without the additional caveats of additional time or cost. He said they may see the question in terms of how it might affect them, even if they are here legally.

"If the push is to have street cops more aggressively pursue questions of illegality in terms of being in the United States, that has to mean to me that they're going to be looking for people that look Latino or Arabic or something other than European or Scandinavian,'' he said.

"Putting yourself in their position, you can easily connect the dots: That ends up meaning racial profiling that means I'm going to get hassled,'' Haynes continued.

The statewide survey of 800 heads of households, conducted earlier this month, has a margin of error of 3.5 percent.

www.yumasun.com

OK, aren't they just detaining those who are criminals?

They are rounding up everyone who is illegal are they - which is OK by me - more than OK. But I thought it was just criminals.

Support dropped significantly when Haynes asked how people feel if the checks reduced the time officers had for their regular law enforcement duties.

According to what I've read, many law officers regular duties is dealing with illegal aliens because that's what all the calls are about. I recall one Phoenix officer who said he could work an entire 40 hr. week and never come into contact with an American citizen.

Finding about legal status should be part of their REGULAR duties when you consider how many IA's have been arrested over and over.