http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2007/ ... nities.txt

Local News for Northwest Arkansas

Group Plans To Present Immigration Ideas

By Lori Harrison-Stone
The Morning News
ROGERS -- Just Communities of Northwest Arkansas will soon present a report on local immigration issues to Rogers.

Ana Lorena Hart, a Just Communities board member, said Friday the group held three meetings, drawing from local community leaders for input. A report should be presented to Mayor Steve Womack in the next few weeks and a presentation will be made March 27 to the Rogers City Council, Hart said.

The report will include specific recommendations on immigration issues in Rogers. Asked if it will support Womack's request to train city police officers through the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement 287(g) program for local immigration enforcement, Hart declined to provide specifics.

She noted, however, the group reviewed with interest a report supporting the 287(g) program written by James Jay Carafano and published by The Heritage Foundation.

"Section 287(g) provides strong protection to states and their law enforcement officers while requiring that well-trained officers already on the ground conduct immigration investigations," Carafano wrote. "It also allows state and local governments to tailor programs to meet their unique circumstances and requirements."

Womack in October requested the city be allowed to participate in the program. He replied this week to a request from Immigration and Customs Enforcement for information on the city's planned implementation of the federal program.

"It's a way to extend the reach of ICE by training and equipping our local police officers to handle immigration issues," Womack said Friday.

Womack also said he's interested in Just Communities' report.

Hart said the meetings were meant to engage the community in discussion that was respectful and accepting of other opinions. The only way to come up with recommendations for dealing with such an important and highly emotional issue is come up with a good base of information that isn't biased, she said.

"We all have to come to the table to address this issue with wide open minds and wide open hearts," she said.

The report will present opinions on immigration issues and offer a plan of action for dealing with the issues. The plan includes involvement of the Just Communities organization on implementing the recommendations.

The group that came together for the meetings wasn't a broad representation of the community, so those involved asked for more input, specifically targeting other members of the community who might offer a different opinion. Hart said there were 10 to 20 people at each meeting, but the report will include input from a number of people who wrote and called the organization.

The report, once presented to the city, will be available at the group's offices, but Hart hopes to also place copies for public review at local libraries, police stations, the Jones Center for Families in Springdale and other public places.