Thread: El Paso sheriff suspends vehicle checkpoints amid criticism

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El Paso sheriff suspends vehicle checkpoints amid criticism

EL PASO, Texas -- El Paso County Sheriff Leo Samaniego on Friday temporarily suspended vehicle checkpoints that have come under fire amid accusations of racial profiling and civil rights violations.

The sheriff, whose agency has recently fielded criticisms from citizens, lawmakers and civil rights groups, also said his deputies would no longer refer undocumented immigrants to the U.S. Border Patrol based solely on immigration status.

Illegal immigrants arrested on local or state charges are still referred to the Border Patrol, the federal agency responsible for policing the country's border and apprehending illegal immigrants, the sheriff said.

That policy became effective about two weeks ago, he added.

In a prepared statement, Samaniego said the checkpoints were part of a "routine traffic safety program" aimed at ensuring that drivers in El Paso County were licensed, insured and driving legally registered and maintained vehicles.

"The primary focus is public safety and not apprehension of undocumented immigrants," Samaniego said at an afternoon press conference.

A federal lawsuit filed last month alleges that Samaniego's deputies, working as part of the state-funded operation, illegally stopped a public bus and detained several Hispanic people because they did not have identification.

Other immigrant advocates have charged that Hispanics stopped at the checkpoints were often asked for social security cards to prove their identity.

Samaniego, who would not answer any questions at the news conference, has denied any wrongdoing. He would not say how long the checkpoints would be suspended.

The operation, funded with about $10 million in grant money given to both the Texas Border Sheriff's Coalition and the 16 county sheriffs that make up the nonprofit group, was created last year as a "second line of defense" for the Border Patrol.

Last month state Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, asked Gov. Rick Perry to create rules on how the sheriffs can spend the $367,500 awarded to each county and the more than $4 million being administered by the coalition, which Samaniego now chairs.

Perry, who has referred Hinojosa's letter the U.S. Attorney's office, has maintained his support for the coalition sheriffs and Operation Linebacker.

Will Harrell, executive director of the Texas branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, said Operation Linebacker is riddled with problems. He said the decision to halt the traffic checkpoints was a positive step, but that it needs to be a permanent policy change.

Rick Glancey, Samaniego's spokesman, said the temporary halt of the checkpoints will not mean an end to Operation Linebacker.

Stopping these checks is beyond preposterous. They are endangering the lives of Americans on our highways in the interest of political correctness to protect the "rights" of illegal aliens who have no rights because they are here ILLEGALLY. Something will hit the fan the first time an American citizen is injured or killed. This again shows the rights of illegal aliens takes precedence over the lives of Americans. Words cannot even begin to describe my complete and utter disgust with this defacto Mexican administration.

The sheriff caved under pressure. It is that simple. We cannot afford to cave.