Immigrant Rights Group Holds Vigil For Erfle
By KTAR.com

POSTED: 7:27 am PDT September 21, 2007



PHOENIX -- The group Immigrants Without Borders held a candlelight vigil Thursday night at the site where Phoenix Police Officer Nick Erfle was gunned down by an illegal immigrant this week.

"This police officer, unfortunately, was not shot by the whole community. It was one individual who decided to break the law," Elizabeth Cruz told CBS 5.

Not everyone who showed up favors immigrant rights.

Sandra Olivas said she's fed up with illegal immigrants. "I want to know what's going to happen 10 years from now when this poor officer's children are grown. They're going to need their father. I didn't grow up with a father. My father died when I was very young and there isn't a day where I don't miss him. And this is enough, enough is enough. I've had enough," Olivas said.

Olivas said she's seen the suspect's mother admit on local Spanish television that she's an illegal immigrant who is living in Phoenix.

Olivas openly questioned why someone hasn't gone to her house and arrested the woman.

She said enough is enough.

"You never get anything done with illegal aliens. You're not getting the cream of the crop. You're not getting people who want to be citizens. The first step that they show that they don't respect us and the respect the laws of the United States under one flag and under one state is by crossing the line illegally," said Olivas.

Another woman who stopped by the site was overcome with grief. "Too many fallen officers. We've seen too many fallen officers . . . really the past six weeks is way too much."

Dozens of police officers stood by as a steady stream of cars drove past the memorial.

IWB leader Elias Bermudez said many people who intended to take part in the vigil saw the police officers and were too afraid to stop.

He said the killing of the officer is a setback for the immigration movement.

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Immigrant Rights Group Holds Vigil For Erfle

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