Thread: FL-Police: Crackdown scaring away Hispanics

Wed, Sep. 03, 2008
Police: Crackdown scaring away Hispanics
Month left in suspect-check program
By Daniel Brownstein - McClatchy Newspapers


A crackdown on illegal immigration in Beaufort County appears to be driving away dozens, either by deportation or the fear of being sent back home, according to law enforcement officers and members of the Hispanic community.

With about a month left in a 90-day federal immigration crackdown, 170 inmates in the Beaufort County jail have been identified as illegal immigration suspects, Beaufort jail director Philip Foot said.

And soon, it won't just be employees facing trouble. Companies suspected of hiring illegal immigrants also will be investigated by the Sheriff's Office, the first time local detectives will take such action.

"Operation Surge" began July 1, when agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement were moved to the Beaufort jail and five other county jails throughout South Carolina to identify illegal immigrants and begin preparing deportation cases against them. ICE is a branch of the Department of Homeland Security formerly known as Immigration and Naturalization Services.

The agents used to put immigration holds on illegal immigration suspects accused of serious crimes.

Beginning in July, they started putting such holds on every illegal immigration suspect, regardless of the seriousness of the charges.

The result has been higher numbers of prisoners in the county jail and an increase in the number of people leaving the area to seek jobs in places where there's less risk of deportation, officials said.

"We have heard through different sources in the county that there is a percentage of foreign-born illegals who have been voluntarily leaving the county, particularly those with children," Tanner said.

"They don't want to be picked up for a traffic offense and then get tied up in deportation."

Juan Campos, who served as president of the Latin American Council of South Carolina before the group changed its name and focus, said there's a fear in the Hispanic community.

"They are really breaking up families," Campos said.

Families are frightened, he said, in part because illegal immigrants can be stopped for minor offenses like having a car light out and then be deported.

"The family has fallen on hard times," Campos said.

Despite the fear, local law enforcement officials say they haven't seen a reluctance to report crimes - a concern that has been voiced by critics of immigration crackdowns.

The concern has been that illegal immigrants will be forced further underground, leaving them afraid to call the police for fear of being deported.

Tanner said he hasn't noticed any major communication issues arising because of the immigration enforcement.

The Bluffton Police Department doesn't track calls for service by ethnicity, said Lt. Bryan Norberg, department spokesman.

The immigration crackdown in Beaufort County so far has been limited to people charged with crimes, not the victims or witnesses, Tanner said.

This week, the county's business license auditors will hand over "several companies" suspected of hiring undocumented workers, Tanner said.




http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/l ... 79515.html

Operation Surge" began July 1, when agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement were moved to the Beaufort jail and five other county jails throughout South Carolina to identify illegal immigrants and begin preparing deportation cases against them. ICE is a branch of the Department of Homeland Security formerly known as Immigration and Naturalization Services.

Operation Surge! I really like the sound of that!!

Families are frightened, he said, in part because illegal immigrants can be stopped for minor offenses like having a car light out and then be deported.

Illegal invaders who are driving an automobile without a drivers license should be afraid! They are breaking the law! It's about time illegal invaders actual felt terror when they engage in law breaking activity in this country!

They are really breaking up families," Campos said.

No...your beloved illegal invaders became responsible for this when they decided to have a family while squatting in this country illegally!

This piece is just another example of how the pro-illegal invaders will scream the law is "unjust" when they do not have the law or facts on their side!

Juan Campos, who served as president of the Latin American Council of South Carolina before the group changed its name and focus, said there's a fear in the Hispanic community.

"They are really breaking up families," Campos said.

Families are frightened, he said, in part because illegal immigrants can be stopped for minor offenses like having a car light out and then be deported.

"The family has fallen on hard times," Campos said.

Aww boo hoo! We want to deport the families together, the illegals themselves make the choice about separating their own families. Don't like it here? LEAVE! Please do.

The illegals, if they have moved, have only moved out of the line of fire. Until we have more effort by more cities, and counties, in more states, we aren't going to be successful in running them out of our country. Remember, remittances are only down 3% this year; with our economy that is a drop in the bucket.

Step up our individual efforts.

There's a fear in the Hispanic community.

"They are really breaking up families," Campos said.

Here we go again! It's all our fault.

Families are frightened, he said, in part because illegal immigrants can be stopped for minor offenses like having a car light out and then be deported.

Ya and citizens can be stopped for it too, fined, and cause grief for their families with children as well.

And soon, it won't just be employees facing trouble. Companies suspected of hiring illegal immigrants also will be investigated by the Sheriff's Office, the first time local detectives will take such action.

Those companies have been pre-warned. Maybe they will start using E-Verify. If they even suspect they have illegal aliens already working for them, they need to investigate. There shouldnt be ANY EXCUSES this time.