Gascón to testify at congressional immigration hearing
by Nathan Gonzalez - Mar. 31, 2009 06:34 PM
The Arizona Republic

Mesa Police Chief George Gascón will testify Thursday morning before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee about a controversial program that allows local police to enforce federal immigration laws.

Committee officials could not confirm Gascón was on a growing list to testify at the 10 a.m. hearing, but Mesa police spokesman Sgt. Ed Wessing said the chief was asked to speak on the federal program known as 287 (g), which allows local agencies to enforce immigration law.

"He is going, he will testify," Wessing said. "What he will be asked, we have no idea. I don't think (the committee) tells them beforehand what they will be asking."
Committee member Rep. Trent Franks, R-Arizona, said in an interview with The Arizona Republic that allowing local police to apprehend illegal immigrants has made the country safer, but he doesn't believe it's a proper substitute for federal lawmakers to avoid legislation to secure the nation's borders.

"The foundational hope I've had is for the federal government to rise to its responsibility to protect and secure the borders," Franks said. "If the boarder is not secured the terrorists don't need a missile to attack the country, they only need a Volkswagen. Illegal immigration is a danger to this country."

Franks said the federal immigration program employed by law enforcement officials such as Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio "isn't perfect," but it's a step in the right direction.

Arpaio and his office have repeatedly come under scrutiny and are at the center of a federal Justice Department inquiry into allegations his deputies discriminate against and racially profile Hispanics.

Franks, who referred to the inquiry as a "political witch hunt," said local law enforcement officials are doing what they can to follow federal mandate.

Arpaio and Gascón have shown stark differences in enforcing illegal immigration laws and both have sparred over the sheriff's raids to round up those in the country illegally.

The most recent criticism followed an early-morning raid in October, when deputies in full tactical gear entered Mesa City Hall and Public Library and arrested members of a cleaning crew.

Gascón has been less active in pursuing illegal immigrants. His department's immigration enforcement policy, which went into effect Jan. 1, allows police to ask a person's immigration status only when they are part of a criminal investigation or when someone is booked into jail.

While the approaches clearly differ, Franks said both Arpaio and Gascón are doing what they can to combat a growing problem that impacts national security.

"There is no question that these efforts to put all hands on deck have strained every department that it touches," the congressman said.

"The federal government has the primary responsibility to secure the boarders and to enforce immigration laws. The federal government has not lived up to that responsibility and until they do, I'm not sure any state or city oriented policy will be adequate," he said.

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