With all due respect, there is supposed to be fear when anyone has broken laws. That keeps most of us on the straight and narrow. This is a translation.


Undocumented Immigrants living in fear

EFE | March 25, 2008

Op.jpgPhoenix-raids, Arizona .- Undocumented immigrants living in Arizona fearful of being arrested by the authorities either for a simple traffic offense or during a raid on their jobs to complete their deportation and separation from their families.

Agents from the office of Maricopa County sheriff, Joe Arpaio, made two operational last Friday and Saturday in the centre and north of Phoenix.

In the operational during the Easter holidays, which were monitored closely by more than a dozen activists, lawyers and observers, 54 people were arrested.

So far, it has not been informed how many of them were undocumented immigrants.

"These operations are based simply on the" racial profiling, "said today Efe Lydia Guzman, activist and representative of the organization" Respect / Respect. "

The sheriff Arpaio has assured that the operational responded aa complaints from business owners about crimes related to illegal immigration.

"If anyone has been arrested for these crimes, how do you know the owners of the business or the sheriff that are committed by aliens?" Questioned Guzman.

"Just based on the appearance of people to pause and question them about their immigration status," added the activist, who was present during the two operations.

According to Guzman, in both operational people were arrested for what he called "minimal infractions," as a window of the vehicle rotates or because some light of the car was not working well or plate car was not properly illuminated.

"Some people complained that the first question to them was made after arrest if they were citizens and if they could prove," said the activist.

For his part, Arpaio defended his actions by ensuring that only their agents "comply with its duty" and stressed that several of his officers have been certified by the Immigration Service and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to question a detainee on their immigration status.

"Any undocumented immigrant who is arrested during one of our operational will be arrested and taken directly to jail," said in a communiqué also known as "the toughest sheriff in the west."

Guzman expressed concern about the fear and division among the community that are causing this kind of sheriff of Maricopa actions.

"A lot of people met in front of where the detainees are processed and began gritarles things to agents, telling people who have rights despite being undocumented," recounted Guzman.

Arpaio Agents have also been presented at workplaces requesting records from employees and arrested those who do not have "papers".

"Last Friday we had the report of a church being carried out by the Mass for Good Friday and that at the end nobody wanted to leave because they knew Arpio officers were patrolling the streets," said the activist.

One of the many families that have been affected is that of Miguel Ramos, a Mexican immigrant who has a family member who was arrested by an officer of the Sheriff on his way to his work.

"We stopped on the pretext that was supposed to speeding, but when presented a Mexican identification to vote, he said it was" invalid "and immediately began to be questioned about their immigration status," said Ramos. EFE

http://www.laraza.com/2008/03/25/inmigr ... con-temor/