Thread: TX: Police will be urged to join immigration enforcement

Police will be urged to join immigration enforcement
By Brandi Grissom / Austin Bureau
Article Launched: 12/01/2007 12:00:00 AM MST


AUSTIN -- During the next year, lawmakers will look for ways to encourage local police to become authorized immigration enforcement agents.
House Speaker Tom Craddick on Friday finished publishing a list of issues he wants legislators to study before the 2009 legislative session. Among several border security and immigration issues to be studied is a federal program referred to as 287g.

Under that program, local departments sign an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that allows officers to receive training and become authorized to enforce federal immigration laws.

The charge from Craddick calls on the House State Affairs Committee to "make recommendations to encourage" local governments to sign the agreements.

During the legislative session this year, lawmakers hotly debated border security and immigration measures, though few were passed.

State Rep. David Swinford, chairman of the State Affairs Committee, led many of the immigration discussions this year.

Swinford, a Republican from Dumas, said he didn't plan to promote 287g agreements. Local governments, he said, should decide whether they want to take on the immigration issue.

But he said he wanted to ensure that officers get appropriate training before they try to enforce federal immigration laws.

Some local police and city leaders, he said, have been enforcing immigration laws without the training or authority to do so.

"We have a lot of cities that are doing really stupid stuff out there," Swinford said.

Carl Rusnok, ICE spokesman, said local officers do not have authority to enforce federal immigration laws unless they first receive training.

Currently, he said, no Texas agencies have signed 287g agreements with ICE. Nationwide, 34 local agencies have fewer than 600 officers trained to enforce immigration laws, Rusnok said.

El Paso Police Chief Richard Wiles said having local officers enforce immigration laws is a bad idea for several reasons.

"It's a federal responsibility," Wiles said. "It's their job. We don't have the resources to do it, and the taxpayers of El Paso should not have to pay to have their police department doing the federal government's job."

http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_7603895

El Paso Police Chief Richard Wiles said having local officers enforce immigration laws is a bad idea for several reasons.

"It's a federal responsibility," Wiles said. "It's their job. We don't have the resources to do it, and the taxpayers of El Paso should not have to pay to have their police department doing the federal government's job."



I'm sorry, but this makes me really ill.

Really, really ill.

It is just assinine.

Someone needs to tell the public - this man knows it already - if the criminal illegals, the ones targeted, are gone from his city, the job of protecting his city and enforcing the law would be much easier. To say nothing of the fact the people would be safer.

Why do they not want criminals and lawbreakers taken out of their cities?

The residents should be outraged. Instead of referring to this as immigration enforcement - we should begin referring to it as enforcement of criminal law.

You need "SPECIAL" training to ascertain if someone is illegal or not above and beyond all the law enforcement training. I think one day would suffice and that should focus on recognizing fake papes.

Tom Craddick on Friday finished publishing a list of issues he wants legislators to study before the 2009 legislative session.

2009?? Uh, what? STUDY it? Before 2009? Uh, what's the rush?
This is why nothing gets done up there! They don't know the meaning of "jump on it and get'r done"!

During the legislative session this year, lawmakers hotly debated border security and immigration measures, though few were passed.

Because all they debated was amnesty! Grrrr!!!

But he said he wanted to ensure that officers get appropriate training before they try to enforce federal immigration laws.

How much "training" does one need to demand proof of citizenship? Do they mean they want to make sure officers are politically correct?

Some local police and city leaders, he said, have been enforcing immigration laws without the training or authority to do so.

What "authority"? Authority to enforce laws? Do police have to be granted permission for each and every law they enforce? What? I'm baffled!

Carl Rusnok, ICE spokesman, said local officers do not have authority to enforce federal immigration laws unless they first receive training.

Who's rule is that? Chernoff's? A turf war? Bush? An added impediment to keep us from doing what the feds won't do?

"We have a lot of cities that are doing really stupid stuff out there," Swinford said.

What stupid stuff? Not being politically correct?

El Paso Police Chief Richard Wiles said having local officers enforce immigration laws is a bad idea for several reasons.
"It's a federal responsibility," Wiles said. "It's their job. We don't have the resources to do it, and the taxpayers of El Paso should not have to pay to have their police department doing the federal government's job."

Cool !! Pass the buck! "It's not MY JOB! ... it's their job" ... But they aren't DOING their job, so someone's gotta do it! Roll up your sleeves and get it done!
Grrrr!

All this garbage about training is silly. All police officers - every single one of them, should already be trained to recognise fake ID. It is crucial to law enforcement - on every level.

I would say fake ID training would be a lot more necessary than 'sensitivity training or how not to racially profile' training.


Then they only need to know how to check out the record of the person arrested - I'm assuming they all know that.

We have all manner of records on file these days - just a few clicks away - why all the problem.

These people are talking like we are living in the 1800's for goodness sake.

Originally Posted by nntrixie

These people are talking like we are living in the 1800's for goodness sake.

Hahaha Yeah! But the FBI didn't have computers until a couple of years ago!

LNR,

The Texas State Legislature only meets every two years and for only 140 days, unless the governor calls a special session. Therefore, the next session will begin in Jan. 2009.

Dixie

Originally Posted by Dixie

LNR,
The Texas State Legislature only meets every two years and for only 140 days, unless the governor calls a special session. Therefore, the next session will begin in Jan. 2009.
Dixie

Wow!!!!!!!!! That's crazy!! Are all states like that? I don't know much about state politics at all.

Originally Posted by Dixie

LNR,
The Texas State Legislature only meets every two years and for only 140 days, unless the governor calls a special session. Dixie

I bet the citizens of Texas would WANT a special session called. I have friends in Houston and relatives in Dallas, and they're sick and tired and totally fed up!

El Paso Police Chief Richard Wiles said having local officers enforce immigration laws is a bad idea for several reasons.

"It's a federal responsibility," Wiles said. "It's their job. We don't have the resources to do it, and the taxpayers of El Paso should not have to pay to have their police department doing the federal government's job."

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Just one of many reasons El Paso is a "sanctuary" city. One of the greatest reasons I didn't want to keep raising my children around the gangs and criminal activity. Whether it's Federal, State or Local, ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOULD BACK EACH OTHER. PERIOD!!!