Thread: Arizona lawmakers: Police must enforce immigration law

Arizona lawmakers: Police must enforce immigration law

Jacques Billeaud THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


PHOENIX -- Many local police agencies in Arizona, the busiest illegal entry point on the nation's porous southern border, don't want the added responsibility some Arizona lawmakers want to give them to enforce federal immigration laws.

They say it's already the responsibility of the federal government and that such a massive undertaking would detract from their traditional
roles in protecting communities from crime.

But some Arizona lawmakers say the federal government isn't doing enough about the thousands of people who sneak across the border each year.

A proposal in the Arizona Legislature would authorize state and local police agencies to investigate and apprehend illegal immigrants. It also would let local police transport migrants to detention centers across state lines.

The law does not draw a distinction between criminal migrants and otherwise law-abiding migrants.

More than any other state in recent years, Arizona has been dogged by a heavy flow of illegal immigrants after the government tightened enforcement in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego during the mid-1990s.

Even though immigrants provide the American economy with cheap labor, Arizona and other border states shoulder huge health care and education costs for illegal workers and their families. Frustrated lawmakers in Arizona have proposed several bills this year aimed at confronting illegal immigration.

Nearly a month ago, Gov. Janet Napolitano signed a bill into law that gives local police the power to arrest migrant smugglers but doesn't provide additional money to do it.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D5.
link:
Arizona lawmakers: Police must enforce immigration law

Jacques Billeaud THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


PHOENIX -- Many local police agencies in Arizona, the busiest illegal entry point on the nation's porous southern border, don't want the added responsibility some Arizona lawmakers want to give them to enforce federal immigration laws.

They say it's already the responsibility of the federal government and that such a massive undertaking would detract from their traditional
roles in protecting communities from crime.

But some Arizona lawmakers say the federal government isn't doing enough about the thousands of people who sneak across the border each year.

A proposal in the Arizona Legislature would authorize state and local police agencies to investigate and apprehend illegal immigrants. It also would let local police transport migrants to detention centers across state lines.

The law does not draw a distinction between criminal migrants and otherwise law-abiding migrants.

More than any other state in recent years, Arizona has been dogged by a heavy flow of illegal immigrants after the government tightened enforcement in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego during the mid-1990s.

Even though immigrants provide the American economy with cheap labor, Arizona and other border states shoulder huge health care and education costs for illegal workers and their families. Frustrated lawmakers in Arizona have proposed several bills this year aimed at confronting illegal immigration.

Nearly a month ago, Gov. Janet Napolitano signed a bill into law that gives local police the power to arrest migrant smugglers but doesn't provide additional money to do it.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D5.

http://www.phxnews.com/fullstory.php?article=20169

Sir,
Since illegal workers and their families cost billions of dollars across
America for health care, education, welfare, lack of auto insurance, etc.
then the cheap labor isn't cheap is it?

Diesel,
I missed your joining ALIPAC. So welcome a board.

I would say your statement is 100 percent correct.

Of course police should enforce immigration laws. After all illegal immigration is a crime right? So why do we have laws on the books if we aren't going to enforce them? Police enforcing laws, as the genius commerical would say "Brillant".

Many local police agencies in Arizona, the busiest illegal entry point on the nation's porous southern border, don't want the added responsibility some Arizona lawmakers want to give them to enforce federal immigration laws.

I'm almost in tears. Just maybe the Feds will provide more help.

They say it's already the responsibility of the federal government and that such a massive undertaking would detract from their traditional
roles in protecting communities from crime.

Guess what genius, the illegals ARE committing crimes.

But some Arizona lawmakers say the federal government isn't doing enough about the thousands of people who sneak across the border each year.

You think????

A proposal in the Arizona Legislature would authorize state and local police agencies to investigate and apprehend illegal immigrants. It also would let local police transport migrants to detention centers across state lines.

How about across national lines?

The law does not draw a distinction between criminal migrants and otherwise law-abiding migrants.

Do you mean to say the law does not draw a distinction between illegals who commit crimes beside being in the country illegally and illegals who have only commited the crime of crossing the border?

More than any other state in recent years, Arizona has been dogged by a heavy flow of illegal immigrants after the government tightened enforcement in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego during the mid-1990s.

You mean it is finally sinking in?

Even though immigrants provide the American economy with cheap labor, Arizona and other border states shoulder huge health care and education costs for illegal workers and their families. Frustrated lawmakers in Arizona have proposed several bills this year aimed at confronting illegal immigration.

It is about time.

Nearly a month ago, Gov. Janet Napolitano signed a bill into law that gives local police the power to arrest migrant smugglers but doesn't provide additional money to do it.

Big help that is. Well, at least it is something.

Locally it is more of getting the magistrates to understand why the local officer is detaining the illegal, getting the jail to except and hold them, getting ICE or immigrations to come pick them up. (this is if they have not committed any criminal act.)
In a small department with lets say a 5 officer squad. There is always some one out in school, sick, vaction or court. That leaves a supervisor and 3 officers to cover 4 zones. Then you know there will be at least one domestic call most nights more. Thats 2 officers tied up. that leaves 2 to cover many miles of city and answer all the calls from barking dogs to break ins and everything in between. Then an officer runs into an illegal they can't baby sit until some one from immigrations comes to get them.
Of course immigration is oh just so busy or it's snowing or some other excuse.
It's bad enough when you lose one officer to sit with a mental detainee all night at the hospital waiting for a bed in some dtox center.Now you are down to the Sergeant and one officer to cover all those miles between each officer. Well pray it isn't the night with the guy with the gun who wants to play suicide by cop.
Where do your priorities lie. Officer safety and citizen safety.
The problem goes back to getting the feds off their butts.
I'm ranting so will sit down and be nice.

To Charlessoakisland. I am sorry for your stress. Here is the solution.
Get illegals home the way coyotes get them here. (1) Officers must be able to check credentials at a dedicated center 24 hrs. a day. (2) If illegal,
don't arrest them, this is where the volunteers, i.e. MPM come in at, they
come run buses 24-7 funded by money seized from their drug cartels to
return them to their natural environment. (3) Provide water for them on the bus. (4) Keep troops, volunteers on the border for Calif.,Arizona, New
Mexico and Texas daily. (5) Make Volunteers time tax deductible.
Best Regards, Diesel

Diesel
I did my 30 years, I have no stress(now just fill in for the sups when needed). Until they put the military on the border or a Israelie Gaza type fence up along the whole border there will be no checking of all immigrants at a check point.
Bus, you are to kind Diesel, I was thinking mule and cart. (just kidding)