Good call for immigrants, community

[chairman]

Saturday, July 28, 2007
Good call for immigrants, community
Decision to reject federal program ensures trust between newcomers, law-enforcement

http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satel ... 1611505496

By Jose Isasi
GUEST COLUMNIST


Sheriff Bill Schatzman decision not to apply for funds to implement the federal program that allows deputies to inquire about the immigration status of all detainees in our Forsyth County law-enforcement system was the right move.
There is already a system in place that checks the immigration status of jailed foreign-born detainees who are in prison for serious crimes. This program should continue.
Schatzman has followed the lead from hundreds of local law-enforcement agencies across the country in rejecting a measure that would be counterproductive for our entire community.
Many immigrants, especially those from Latin America, do not trust the police in their home countries. Local law-enforcement agencies, like those in Forsyth County, recognize this and have taken a practical stance to assure these newcomers that their primary role is to actively prevent crime and apprehend criminals.
By repeating this message throughout the years, local law enforcement, including Schatzmans office and the Winston-Salem Police Department, have improved relationships with immigrant communities and, equally important, kept lines of productive communication open to the benefit of the entire community. This work will be for naught if the Hispanic immigrant community in Forsyth County no longer feels safe in talking to law-enforcement officials.
It would be difficult to explain to our newest residents that all of those in the process of being deported are criminals. For example, in the three North Carolina counties where the federal program has been implemented, advocates have documented a number of cases of illegal immigrants being handed over to immigration officials after being detained, not for serious crimes, but for minor traffic violations.
Without trust in law enforcement, immigrants who have witnessed serious crimes will not come forward with information that is needed to solve them. This means that crimes will not be solved as quickly, crime rates will accelerate, and crime prevention will be hindered.
A point of agreement is that the system for handling immigration is broken. It is very disappointing that our federal elected officials recently refused to deal with the significant issues surrounding immigration. While the proposed solutions were imperfect to those on all sides of the issue, we must ask why there were not more earnest efforts to reach reasonable compromises.
Asking, or telling, 12 million Hispanics who are here without proper documentation to Â

[MW]

For example, in the three North Carolina counties where the federal program has been implemented, advocates have documented a number of cases of illegal immigrants being handed over to immigration officials after being detained, not for serious crimes, but for minor traffic violations.

That's as it should be!

This explains the biased article:

"Jose Isasi is the CEO of the Que Pasa Media Network."

[IndianaJones]

This explains the biased article:

"Jose Isasi is the CEO of the Que Pasa Media Network."

SOooooooooooo Right!
Que pasa, oh yeah we know what's happening!

[chairman]

We need your Help...
Email the Forsyth County Sheriff"s Office and the Forsyth County Commissioners and let them know that all of America needs the 287g.

Contact the Sheriff's office:
http://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/sheriff/contactSheriff.aspx

Contact the Forsyth County Commissioners:
http://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/commissione ... actus.aspx
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[locallaw4u]

This Sheriff has lost all creditability over this and several other issues. A group has started a WEB site to make the public aware of his scandals. This is a political pay off to the rich Hispanic media in the area and a wealthy restaurant owner. If you want to learn more check out WWW.FCSOWATCH.com