Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2008
Activists fear new system will silence crime victims
By MAURA POSSLEY

BRADENTON --Immigration activists say a program to identify illegal immigrants passing through county jail will go beyond that, casting a shadow of fear over the immigrant community, increasing crime and alienating a population.

Members of the Latino Community Network, Sarasota/Manatee Farmworker Supporters and other groups met Friday and decided to voice their concerns to Manatee County Sheriff Brad Steube, who sought out the program with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

They want details from Steube, and they want him to know they believe the move has much broader implications on the Hispanic community.

"Why don't we use our voice and our votes on those who make the decisions?" said Luz Corcuera, network member and activist. "This is a time when we need to step up."

Immigrants will go into hiding and refuse to report crime over fear they will be asked to prove their legal status, she and other activists said during the network's monthly meeting.

That in turn will create a "field day" for criminals capitalizing on that fear, said John DuBrule, litigation director for Gulf Coast Legal Services, which in part serves the immigrant population.

Further, activists said it would foster racial profiling in a time when the immigration issue has created racial division in the community.

"It's a very big risk," DuBrule said.

Steube said Friday he would be happy to meet with the group to explain the program in detail. He has said its implementation expedites the booking process and removes violent criminals from the community.

"If that is the perception, then that's something that they're putting out," Steube said over concerns the immigrant community will head underground. "We're not going into the neighborhoods, we're not going into employers looking for illegal aliens. The program is only designed for us to find out who is an illegal alien once they are in jail."

Steube said because the program revolves around checking the status of arrestees entering the jail, it could not foster racial profiling.

"The bottom line is, I don't believe they should be fearful of anything concerned with this," he said. "At this point, in my opinion, they have nothing to fear."

http://www.bradenton.com/local/story/764478.html