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Some help for the feds
Local police agencies should freshen their policies on illegal aliens

Opinion
Saturday, April 02, 2005 - 7:18:38 AM PST

One of the downsides of an influence-driven but relatively free and open political system is an immigration policy that makes almost no sense. As just one example, police refrain from asking an illegal alien whether he or she is here illegally. But some of that is about to change.

The Orange County Sheriff's Department last week became another of several police agencies to announce plans to train deputies to enforce federal immigration laws. This doesn't mean that deputies will start rounding up day workers on street corners or busting the kitchen help in restaurants.

But it does mean some changes to the sometimes overly dainty handling of immigration issues by city, county and state police agencies. Instead, Orange County sheriff's deputies would make arrests related to such federal crimes as sexual predators or gangs that cross state lines.

According to the L.A. Times, about 500 Orange County deputies will get special training to enforce federal immigration laws and take part in major federal investigations. The Los Angeles Police Department also is drawing up new policies that would allow officers to arrest illegal immigrants who have been deported for criminal activity, then re-entered the country.

L.A. Police Chief William J. Bratton has an answer to complaints by immigrant-rights groups who worry that illegal immigrants will be afraid to cooperate with police: The immigrants should be the last people to want deported criminals back in their midst.

L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca also has said his deputies will arrest any convicted criminals who re-enter the country after deportation. Long Beach police, on the other hand, are sticking with a hands-off policy that says, in effect, that resources are too thin to be used to enforce immigration laws. A spokeswoman said the policies, enunciated by the City Council 10 years ago, are working well.

They may well be, but it's time for the council to take a fresh look. Terrorism and vicious international gangs such as Mara Salvatrucha require cooperation among various agencies, including local police.

Granted, the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement will have to continue enforcing the federal laws that supposedly regulate immigration and smuggling. Also granted, it is hard enough for local police to get the cooperation of frightened immigrants when investigating violent crimes without having to check for green cards.

But terrorists and international gangsters are different kinds of problems. With them, the feds could use some help.