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Hutchison's border plan draws mixed reaction from police

10/11/2005

By ABE LEVY / Associated Press


Some police along the Texas-Mexico border said legislation allowing them to arrest illegal immigrants would put more of a burden on overworked officers, but others welcome the chance to address a growing national security problem.

Under the bill, proposed last week by U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, state and local officers could arrest, detain and prosecute suspected illegal immigrants. Such powers are now reserved for federal immigration authorities. The measure is one of several under debate in Congress aimed at addressing threats along the porous border.

Police departments in McAllen, Laredo, Eagle Pass, Presidio and El Paso all raised doubts about Hutchison's proposal, saying immigration enforcement would hamper local safety efforts.

"It's a wolf disguised as a sheep, an effort on their part to be able to point the finger somewhere else," said Victor Rodriguez, police chief at McAllen, near the southern tip of Texas.

Hutchison spokesman Chris Paulitz said the proposal is optional and keeps the duty of making arrests in the hands of trained law enforcement. The proposal also seeks to let peace officers voluntarily assist the U.S. Border Patrol. The measure does not offer funding, but he said Hutchison would be open to a separate bill for communities unable to handle enforcement costs.

"We will never, ever have enough border patrol agents," Paulitz said. "We need to think of ways outside the box to protect our border."

El Paso police chief Richard Wiles said he applauds the creative thinking but foresees it keeping illegal immigrants from reporting crimes for fear of deportation.

The Texas Border Sheriff's Coalition, which includes the sheriffs from 16 counties on or near the border, hasn't taken a position on the measure. The group plans to discuss it at a meeting Wednesday in Laredo, said Zapata County Sheriff Sigifredo Gonzalez.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry is set to attend the meeting and announce funding for the coalition's security plan, called "Operation Linebacker" among other items. The coalition is seeking money for equipment purchases and hiring reserve deputies to serve as backup to the Border Patrol.

Maverick County Sheriff Tomas Herrera, a coalition member, said he supports Hutchison's idea because border patrol agents can't cover the entire border.

Two major state police associations had mixed reactions.

Chris Heaton, executive director for the Texas Municipal Police Association, which has about 12,000 members, said he foresees no drain on local departments in picking up what he called "another tool in enforcement."

But Charley Wilkison, a spokesman for the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas, which has 15,000 members, said adding more work for busy officers isn't the answer.

Hutchison's bill was introduced last week and will be sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Paulitz said, adding that it could be folded into a a larger immigration bill. The Senate also is considering two immigration reform bills that seek to create guest worker programs and tighter border enforcement, among other measures.

In the House, one bill under consideration calls for training and funding civilian militia empowered to arrest illegal immigrants.