Thread: Flagstaff, AZ declares they are wussies on illegal immig.

Mayor on illegals: Flagstaff won't be Maricopa County
By HILLARY DAVIS
Sun Staff Reporter
Monday, January 14, 2008

If federal immigration authorities take up office in Flagstaff, it does not appear that they would come here simply to round up and deport people in the country without documentation.

At a well-attended meeting Sunday at St. Pius Catholic church hosted by the Northern Arizona Interfaith Council, local leaders, including Mayor Joe Donaldson and Flagstaff Police Chief Brent Cooper, addressed fears and concerns from the local immigrant community. Other law enforcement and civic leaders were present as well.

Donaldson said he wants the community to be safe. What he doesn't want is for Flagstaff to become "another Maricopa County" -- in that local law enforcement agents in the Phoenix metro area are taking on federal immigration duties and causing people to "live in fear."

"They've got people running scared to death in Maricopa County," he said. "That's not right. This is America."

Cooper emphasized that while there is a possibility that Immigrations and Customs Enforcement could staff a permanent Flagstaff office, it would be to investigate serious crimes such as human and drug trafficking. Police have previously said that other serious violations of state law, such as murder, rape or aggravated assault could catch the attention of immigration enforcers.

Last year, ICE temporarily set up a post in northern Arizona. A return is being discussed at ICE headquarters in Washington, D.C., but no final decision has been made.

But while undocumented immigrants could be deported in connection with major crimes, to his knowledge, agents concerned with deportation would not be brought in, Cooper said. Flagstaff Police would not participate in roundups.

"You have my word," Cooper said.

He also said the department wants to hire more bilingual officers and staff, and that racial profiling is not tolerated and claims are thoroughly investigated. Immigration status would not be part of the equation.

"You have my word it will not be questioned (on) a complaint or reference a crime," Cooper said. Sgt. Tom Boughner from the Flagstaff Police Department clarified concerns of how FPD would respond to crime and illegal immigration.

"We are not authorized to enforce immigration law," he said. "We can sure enforce criminal law, non-federal criminal law, which is what we are after."

Hillary Davis can be reached at 556-2261 or hdavis@azdailysun.com.
http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2008 ... page_3.txt

My comment (awaiting moderation, frankly I have a feeling it will be banned):

And to further prove their committment to hugging and welcoming illegal aliens to Flagstaff, the mayor declared "We want all 'undocumented Americans' to be completely at ease and in order to show our appreciation for their invasion of our country, I hereby rename our fair city as Wussy, Arizona."

"We can sure enforce criminal law, non-federal criminal law, which is what we are after."

Note to drug smugglers, bank robbers, counterfeiters, Flagstaff will not bother you, so go ahead and do your thing!

Several towns have felt this way until an IA kills one of their officers. It's criminal to allow it to progress that far. The city should be accountable for every IA offense committed. It's time for the lawsuits to begin.