http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... N0111.html

Mesa to crack down on illegal immigration

Carl Holcombe
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 11, 2007 11:31 AM


Mesa city officials plan a crackdown on illegal immigration using a variety of technology and collaboration with federal agencies.

Mesa Police Chief George Gascón outlined a plan Thursday at a Mesa City Council study session where possibly hundreds of thousands of dollars would be spent on new equipment, including portable digital fingerprint scanners and license-plate readers that scan randomly from patrol cars, and remote cameras in downtown areas.

The city is also considering red-curb zones where vehicles can't stop or linger, to discourage employers from negotiating with day laborers lingering for hours on city streets who may be undocumented immigrants.

Also, the police would create new databases and information mining software to cross-search multiple databases for intelligence, and embed two U.S. Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms agents in the police department to work on street crimes and share data and improve communication with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

"It's a measured, careful approach and we're working got something that's effective," said Councilmember Scott Somers. "The technology not only can go to immigration problems, but drug crimes and other crime problems."

The measures may be implemented within a year.