Thread: CA: Local mayor threatens Mexican Consulate to keep official

Local mayor threatens Mexican Consulate to keep officials from distributing IDs

Posted: May 4, 2011 6:50 PM by Ariel Wesler - Source: KSBY News
Updated: May 4, 2011 8:53 PM


A hot topic in Santa Maria tonight. The city's mayor has asked the Mexican Consulate to stop distributing ID cards to Mexican immigrants within the city limits.

Mayor Larry Lavagnino first asked the Mexican Consulate to comply last month. He says it's a public safety issue because hundreds show up and drive there without a license, endangering the public. The ID cards allow undocumented immigrants to open a bank account and help the Mexican Government track them.

When the Mexican Consulate comes to town, hundreds of immigrants show up to get I.D. cards. Many drive there and the mayor says the majority could endanger public safety.

"They don't have a valid driver's license, may not have insurance," said Santa Maria Mayor Larry Lavagnino. "If a child is run over by somebody without a valid license and could have stopped it, how would I have faced their parents."

"It has nothing to do with that. It has to do with trying to control and trying to threaten people," argued C.C. Todd, an advocate for the Hispanic Community.

By law, the mayor can't actually prevent the Mexican Consulate from providing I.D.s to its citizens, so he threatened them. He wrote a letter to the consulate, saying if it showed up again, he would contact immigration and tell police to cite immigrants driving without a license.

"What it is is stupid, you don't say nothing like that," Todd said.

The city says neither the consulate nor host businesses provide traffic control. No city permits are required and the police can't regulate the events either.

The latest numbers show the population of Santa Maria is more than 70 percent Hispanic. Those who oppose the mayor's decision say it will destroy the city's relationship with the Latino community.

"It just went from this to this, so how do you do damage control now?" Todd asked.

For now, the mayor says everything is under control with the consul.

"Unless he changes his mind and breaks his word with me, we're fine," Lavagnino said.

According the the California Office of Traffic Safety, Santa Maria has the most hit and run accidents in the state compared with similarly sized cities. Under those same guidelines, it also ranks 9th for traffic collisions.

In the past, the ID cards have also been distributed in Morro Bay. Santa Maria's mayor says he's not against the IDs themselves, but his top priority is public safety.

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By law, the mayor can't actually prevent the Mexican Consulate from providing I.D.s to its citizens, so he threatened them. He wrote a letter to the consulate, saying if it showed up again, he would contact immigration and tell police to cite immigrants driving without a license.

He may not be able to legally, but he sure as hell can strongly urge the police to finally enforce the damn law! Go, Mayor, GO. Don't back down!

For now, the mayor says everything is under control with the consul.

"Unless he changes his mind and breaks his word with me, we're fine," Lavagnino said.

LOL..you expect this guy to keep his word. LOL..you really need to go back and brush up on your history with these people. They are notorious for not keeping their word!

I cannot help but think that if the situation were reversed and we were talking about the US Consulate in mexico;would the US Consulate be allowed that much freedom to aid and abet American citizens who were breaking mexican law?

Rinky-dinky measures like this never work. We need mayors who spot check and confiscate when licenses, registrations and insurance evidence are missing. And law officers who routinely find way to justify immigration holds. Big trucks labeled "La Migra" at all the entry and exit points to the city might help too. Finally, it's important to recognize that the feds absolutely won't help. We're on our own.