Thread: Hispanics unsure of sheriff’s new plan

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Hispanics unsure of sheriff’s new plan
by Alsy Acevedo , AACEVEDO@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM
published February 11, 2007 12:15 am
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HENDERSONVILLE — Dozens of Henderson County residents attended a community meeting Saturday to learn more about a federal program that allows local law enforcement to be trained as immigration officers.

The program has raised many questions for local Hispanics.
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“The biggest concern is that we have heard that driving without a license is a crime,” said Patrick Tapia, executive director of the Latino Advocacy Coalition. “Would someone be arrested and deported for driving without a license?”

According to Sheriff Rick Davis, who hosted the meeting, it’s possible.

“The only time an officer can ask for a person’s identification is during a traffic violation,” Davis said. Normally, when a person is driving without a license, the officer just gives him a ticket. But if the person is stopped for impaired driving and doesn’t have a license, it’s more likely the person will be detained, regardless of his legal status.

Once in jail, the officers would be able to check legal status through the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement database and start the deportation process.

About 12 Henderson County officers will be trained as immigration officers through the program, which is set to start in six to eight months. It would follow just eight other agencies around the country with trained immigration agents, including the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Department.

According to the Asheville Metro Business Research Center, about 8 percent of the county’s nearly 98, 000 residents are Hispanic.

Board president of the Latino Advocacy Coalition Sarah Núñez is pleased that the lines of communication between the Hispanic community and the Sheriff’s Department are open.

“I think there are still a lot of unanswered questions,” she said, “so we are looking forward to have more community meetings with the Sheriff’s Department in the future.”
Contact Alsy Acevedo at 828-232-5964, via e-mail at aacevedo@gannett.com

On WLOS last night this story aired, they showed a Legal Hispanic Man who is in FAVOR of this measure. He came here legally and owns his own restaurant. I haven’t been able to find this on their web site but it was a great clip. If anyone finds it, please post it. perhaps I'll even visit his restaurant and thank him.

http://www.wlos.com/

February 11. 2007 12:00AM

Sheriff seeks to reassure Hispanics

Jennie Jones Giles
Times-News Staff Writer
jennie.giles@hendersonvillenews.com
Picture

Henderson County Sheriff Rick Davis, left, and Patrick Tapia, executive director of El Centro, speak during a meeting at the Henderson County Library to discuss local law enforcement acting as immigration agents. (MIKE DIRKS/TIMES-NEWS)
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Henderson County Sheriff Rick Davis attempted Saturday to allay the fears within the Hispanic community of mass deportations.

He also announced a grant the Sheriff's Office has obtained to hire a Latino outreach coordinator.

The Sheriff's Office is considering training detention officers and obtaining approval to join Program 287(g), a federal code that permits local law enforcement to act as immigration agents. The program is part of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

"We're looking at anything to reduce crime in the community," Davis said as he spoke to about 100 mainly Hispanic residents in the Kaplan Auditorium of the Henderson County Public Library. "The program has been very successful in reducing crime in Mecklenburg County."

The Sheriff's Office would train detention officers. Only persons arrested and charged with a crime would come under immigration scrutiny, Davis said. The program would target repeat offenders.

"I believe the Latino community is supportive of this program," Davis said. "It removes criminals from victimizing Latinos."

Davis gave examples of illegal immigrants arrested recently who would fall under the program. One repeat offender out on bond murdered his wife and shot a small child, Davis said.

"This would not have occurred if we had deputies trained as immigration agents," he said.

Other examples included persons arrested multiple times for identity theft, driving while impaired, kidnapping, rape and domestic violence.

"My genuine belief is that this program will benefit everybody in the community," Davis said.

"This is a tool we can use to help get the troublemakers out," said Capt. Greg Cochran. "It will make the Latino community safer."

Henderson County spent about $750,000 in the last financial period on detention costs for illegal immigrants, Davis said.

It will take about six to eight months for the Sheriff's Office to start the program. Approval must be obtained and deputies trained.

All persons arrested and charged with a crime in Henderson County, whether arrested by the Sheriff's Office, police departments in the county's municipalities or the N.C. Highway Patrol, are brought to the Henderson County Detention Center, which is under the control of the Sheriff's Office.

Therefore, all persons arrested, no matter by which law enforcement agency, could have their immigration status checked.

"This is about national security, also," Davis said.

Mecklenburg County has found at least two persons on the terrorist watch list, he said.

Concerns raised by residents were discussed in a question and answer period.

• Only persons arrested, charged with a crime and taken to the Detention Center would have their immigration status checked.

• Victims of a crime, such as domestic violence victims, would not have their immigration status checked.

"There are hard-core gang members and drug traffickers in the Latino community," Davis said. "They are taking control of everyday life behind the scenes. These people are victimizing people over and over again and must be removed."

• Only trained deputies working at the Detention Center would conduct deportation proceedings.

• A traffic citation is not an arrest. Typically, driving without a license is a citation, not an arrest, Davis said. Only if another charge is involved, such as driving while impaired or drugs, is a traffic offender arrested.

"If a person does not have a driver's license, there is the potential for arrest," he said.

• As to whether the program could be considered racial profiling, Davis adamantly replied in the negative.

"A person must be arrested and charged with a crime first," he said. "If that's profiling, we're profiling criminals."

http://www.hendersonvillenews.com/apps/ ... /1042/NEWS

Sheriff seeks to reassure Hispanics

Reassure them of what? That if you are breaking the law no need to worry?

A crime is a crime and a criminal needs to be behind bars. Local law enforcement hands are tied when this cant be done. Police cant police The hispanic or latinos or any other group/groups for fear of anything of a law suit or just being wrong about some one,
they need to have the power till the crises is over .

http://www.fugitivehunter.org/usmostwanted.html

The biggest concern is that we have heard that driving without a license is a crime,” said Patrick Tapia, executive director of the Latino Advocacy Coalition

Maybe I'm not reading this right but it's as if this is suddenly new or something......duh ya.....driving without a license is a crime......I mean don't they have licenses in Mexico and other countries or are we the only ones?

Maybe I'm not reading this right but it's as if this is suddenly new or something......duh ya.....driving without a license is a crime......I mean don't they have licenses in Mexico and other countries or are we the only ones?[/quote]
some states cant ask for an id unless there is a crime already
common Weilths can

I wonder why the Hispanics are so upset. We have illegals from all over the world. IT'S NOT A RACE ISSUE! Its a Legal issue.

BTW, WLOS said the story will be on their web site soon. They recenlty upgraded servers and are having some technical difficulties. I hope they put it up their soon.

I wonder why the Hispanics are so upset. We have illegals from all over the world. IT'S NOT A RACE ISSUE! Its a Legal issue.

You didn't know it's all about THEM! During the English First debate in Nashville, it was all about them. Not one single other group came out objecting to the proposal, but the Hispanic group is all over radio whining about how divisive and "mean spirited" it is. It's a pretty far stretch to say that "having more than one language" would "unite" the city. It's one of those "shake your head" moments. They somehow believe that ONE divides and 35 (languages in Nashville) UNITES! You figure it out, I can't!

They should "reassure" them by saying "if you are here legally, then you have no problem." End of discussion.

They somehow believe that ONE divides and 35 (languages in Nashville) UNITES! You figure it out, I can't!

They know full well that having one language (English) is not divisive. It just interferes with their plans to force an English/Spanish bilingual society. So they try to twist all the logic around to intimidate anyone who would assert that English be our official language.