Thread: FL-Sheriff Borders meets with upset Hispanics

Sheriff Gary Borders meets with Hispanics upset by stops, deportations
Lauren Ritchie
July 1, 2009

Last week, Lake County Sheriff Gary Borders talked with Hispanics and their supporters in Sorrento at a meeting designed to hash out questions of whether deputies are stopping people because they look Hispanic.

The stops have resulted in a number of immigrants without papers being deported, supporters said, and they asked Borders to order deputies to stop profiling.

The sheriff has maintained that deputies do not profile. Rather, he said, deputies are stopping people for a variety of possible criminal or traffic infractions. If there is a federal detainer on the person, he or she is taken to the Lake County Jail and held for Border Patrol.

A recent column on the topic provoked a number of e-mails from folks making a variety of points. Here is a sample:

" This country only works because most citizens are law-abiding. A wannabe's first act should not be defiance of the laws designed to protect all American citizens. It's not perfect, obviously, and good people come in all colors, but any system can only work if all cooperate.

John Burkart Mount Dora

" This particular issue is a sore spot with me.

These advocates forget the thousands of other individuals "waiting in line" to legally enter our country. Allowing illegals to skirt the basic requirements for legal entry is an insult to those seeking status through the proper procedures.

My grandparents were Italian immigrants from Sicily who came to this country in the early 1900s along with literally millions of others — legally. They learned the language, adopted American customs and became an integral part of American society without losing their Italian culture.

They, along with millions of others like them, helped to create the wonderful country we have today, though they suffered many hardships along the way.

I think they would agree that our country isn't asking too much for immigrants to follow the legal path to enter here.

Thomas Fortino Mount Dora

" We've got to stop demonizing people who are entrusted to enforce our laws while portraying those who knowingly break them as "victims."

Frank J. Wood Clermont

And, from comments from around the country come these points:

... As I understand it, Hispanic individuals are being stopped while lawfully going about their business, and that is against the Constitution of the United States. Law enforcement must have probable cause to stop someone, and I'm afraid simply walking down the road while looking Hispanic is not probable cause ... No one has forced these people to come here. They chose to lead this life and put their families through these ordeals ... Not wanting to learn our language is just another slap in the face to the citizens of the USA — let alone not paying any taxes, not paying for any medical services and the list goes on and on ...

Lauren Ritchie can be reached at Lritchie@orlandosentinel.comHer blog is online at OrlandoSentinel.com/ laurenonlake


http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/loc ... 161.column

The stops have resulted in a number of immigrants without papers being deported, supporters said, and they asked Borders to order deputies to stop profiling.

Sounds like great police work to me! What could possibly be the problem? Oh, that's right... silly me! Now I remember. For a certain group of individuals, ethnicity is expected to trump the rule of law.

Originally Posted by NoBueno

The stops have resulted in a number of immigrants without papers being deported, supporters said, and they asked Borders to order deputies to stop profiling.

Sounds like great police work to me! What could possibly be the problem? Oh, that's right... silly me! Now I remember. For a certain group of individuals, ethnicity is expected to trump the rule of law.

Fortunately NB, I think the SCOTUS ruling in Ricci v New Haven may have just cleared up that little "misunderstanding"

And it sounds like "open borders" Fla. Senators Nelson and Martinez need to start getting out of their offices and listening to the people of Florida whom they were elected to represent instead of just special interest groups!