Thread: CA: Latino immigrants in a 'panic' over rumored raids

Latino immigrants in a 'panic' over rumored raids

Text messages spreading rumors of immigration sweeps in local stores

By EDWARD SIFUENTES - esifuentes@nctimes.com | Posted: March 18, 2010 7:47 pm | (109) Comments | Print

Rumors spreading like wildfire in Escondido that immigration authorities are conducting large-scale operations in local Latino supermarkets and Wal-Mart stores are false, say authorities and community activists.

Latino activists say that the community is in fear over rumors spread via text messages that the raids have been occurring and that another is set to take place on Sunday.

The scuttlebutt appears to have started earlier this month when fictitious text messages began circulating that Wal-Mart had agreed to give immigration agents access to their stores to arrest illegal immigrant shoppers. The retail giant has said those rumors are "baseless and inaccurate."

Nevertheless, the messages and the fear continue.

"The community is in a panic," said Danny Perez, an Escondido activist.

Perez said that he has received numerous calls about the messages from people asking if they are true. He said people are afraid to go shopping and are hesitant to take their kids to school because of the false rumors.

Pedro Rios, San Diego director of the Quaker human rights organization American Friends Service Committee, said his group has been monitoring the messages for about two weeks. He said the group has not been able to verify any of the claims about immigration raids.

"Every time that we have been out, we have not been able to document those incidents," Rios said.

Escondido Police Chief Jim Maher said he has also heard the rumors, some of which he said falsely claim that his department is cooperating with immigration agents to conduct immigration sweeps.

"We've been hearing for a few days now about the text messages warning them that the police department and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) are working together doing immigration sweeps," Maher said. "We're fighting this constant blanket of lies."

Maher said the rumors are hurting the department's relationship with the community. Several people walked out of a recent meeting he and his community liaison, Leticia Garduno, conducted at Rock Springs Elementary, the chief said.

"They want the community to hate the police and they are achieving it," Maher said.

The chief said his department's policy prohibiting his officers from working with Border Patrol agents has not changed. The department only cooperates with ICE after a suspected illegal immigrant has committed a crime, Maher said.

Escondido does not allow Border Patrol agents to be present at police checkpoints, he said.

One message posted on the social networking Web site Twitter claims that on March 21 "immigration (agents) will be going into stores all over Escondido to pick up anyone suspected of being" in the country illegally.

A spokesman for the Border Patrol in San Diego said those kinds of rumors, including those claiming that the agency will conduct raids inside Wal-Mart stores, were false.

"It's just a rumor," said Border Patrol Agent Michael Jimenez. "There is no basis for it."

Call staff writer Edward Sifuentes at 760-740-3511.

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/escon ... 30653.html

There's no need for panic. Homeland Insecurity no longer deports.