Thread: CA: Immigration operation draws complaints

Immigration operation draws complaints


Fugitives defying deportation sought
By Leslie Berestein
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
March 28, 2007

SAN DIEGO – Residents in several San Diego communities are complaining about the latest immigration enforcement operation in the region, part of a national crackdown on immigration fugitives.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials confirm that searches for fugitives or “absconders,” typically people who have violated deportation orders, have been carried out this week in several neighborhoods, including yesterday in Linda Vista and earlier in Barrio Logan and Mountain View. Several individuals were detained last week in Escondido.

The agency won't say how many people have been detained or give details about the searches. Officials say the searches are part of an ongoing countywide operation. Searches such as these have been carried out regularly nationwide since 2003, and with greater frequency as the agency's fugitive operations budget has grown.

The most recent large-scale crackdown in the San Diego area took place last June, with searches in Linda Vista and other communities.

Residents of immigrant communities have become increasingly upset over the sight of agents knocking on doors. Last night, at a community forum in Mountain View, people who witnessed searches there vented their frustration.

“It's abusive, what they do,” said Guillermo Hernandez, 53, a legal permanent resident who said he was asked for his papers by agents in front of his home, where he lives with his U.S.-citizen wife, as he chatted with a younger cousin and a neighbor.

“They showed me photos of two people and asked me if I knew them,” said Hernandez, who was born in Mexico. “I said I didn't know them. . . . Then they asked me for my papers. I asked them, 'Why are you confusing looking for these people with asking for my papers?' ”

The cousin and the neighbor, neither of whom was in the country legally, were detained. His cousin has been returned to Mexico, Hernandez said.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say they are searching for specific individuals who have violated a deportation order, skipped an immigration hearing or have committed a deportable offense. These can include legal residents.

“The people we target are people who have had their day in court,” said Lori Haley, a spokeswoman for the agency's western region. “They have final orders but have taken it upon themselves to ignore those orders. These are not random operations. We know exactly who we are looking for.”

However, whether the person is home or not, the occupants are questioned, as are people in the vicinity. Some say the randomness of who gets questioned or detained is enough to paralyze some neighborhoods with fear.

“Your home is this sacred area where you feel comfortable and at peace,” said Pedro Rios of the American Friends Service Committee, a group affiliated with the Quaker faith that held last night's forum. “For someone to violate that, it really plants fear.”

Those attending the forum were handed fliers with instructions on what to do when agents come to the door, including asking to see a search warrant. A rally to protest the operations is planned for April 7 in Chicano Park.

According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, there are 52 fugitive operations teams deployed nationwide, up from 18 in 2005. By the end of this year, 75 teams are expected to be working.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metr ... 28ice.html

“Your home is this sacred area where you feel comfortable and at peace,” said Pedro Rios of the American Friends Service Committee, a group affiliated with the Quaker faith that held last night's forum. “For someone to violate that, it really plants fear.”

Thank you!
That is exactly what AMERICAN'S have been saying all along
Mexico=Your home
America= My home.

Now that we know that you understand the concept of a person's home being comfortable and at peace...
If you are illegal....GO HOME
and leave MY home to me!

Excellent point proud American!!

So how does one get the operation to come to their town?! We have had estimates from anywhere 10 to 30 thousands illegal aliens in my town. ICE was here earlier this year and took one individual but the local paper never published that...

No doubt the illegal community is aware of it though.

Originally Posted by fedupinwaukegan

Excellent point proud American!!

So how does one get the operation to come to their town?!

I wish I knew.
My community's population would go down by at least 40 percent and that is no exageration.

This story was reported on the local San Diego news today, and of course, they portrayed the illegals as poor, innocent victims of terroristic Gestapo tactics. Tonight the pro-amnesty groups will whine and complain to the mayor of San Diego at a local town hall meeting and demand he put an end to any Federal enforcement by ICE against any illegals in San Diego.

The mayor has no say whatsoever in these operations but as expected appeased the pro-invader groups by saying that his city employees and especially the police will never assist the Feds. in any immigration enforcement activities and will maintain an attitude of inclusiveness and continue their pro-illegal community policing policy. In other words, San Diego will stay a sanctuary city in all but name.