Immigrant roundup erodes trust with sheriff

By Raymundo Eli Rojas
Article Launched: 09/18/2007 12:00:00 AM MDT

Recently, the Otero County, New Mexico sheriff began scouring the town of Chaparral, N.M. for undocumented immigrants. Local law enforcement acting as the border patrol is a bad idea.

In general, law enforcement strives to gain the trust of the public. In fact, the Otero County Sheriff's Web site uses the word "trust" many times. By playing border patrol, local law enforcement erodes whatever trust they have in the community. Soon this will spread to other public services like hospitals, fire departments, and schools.

The ramifications can spread even to non-immigrant Latinos because incidents of racial profiling by local authorities are bound to rise. Ultimately, the safety of the public at-large will be negatively affected. Gang activity will be on the rise. Extortion against immigrants who fear the police will happen more and more.

Sound too far fetched?

We have already seen the growth of gang problems in Texas-New Mexico border communities. This behavior by the Otero County Sheriff will shut the door on victims and complainants.

It may look good on paper for the Otero County Sheriff to enforce immigration law, but it is in direct conflict with the goals of community-oriented policing.
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I'm sure the Otero County Sheriff is interested in diversity and expanding community relationships. This behavior puts those efforts in jeopardy.

Complicating the issue is the fact that many family members are of mix immigration status. Some are citizens, other residents, and still others are undocumented. The Immigration Policy Center said in a recent national study, roughly 4.9 million children in the United States live in households headed by undocumented immigrants. About 3.1 million of these children are U.S. born. Families become split in traumatic ways.

I say, lets educate law enforcement on the reasons for not inquiring about immigration status. They should be educated on the protections under immigration law for crime victims such as survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. Authorities need to realize that if they enforce immigration law, a civil violation, they subject victims of crime to further trauma. Victims of domestic violence will not call.

Fear of law enforcement will inevitably affect you and me in very direct ways. Your neighbor will not call police if he sees suspicious behavior outside of your home or if your house is on fire. Assaults and rapes may go unreported.

Also, enforcement of immigration law by local law enforcement has the potential civil rights lawsuits. Many communities across the nation have seen how expensive it can be to mount a defense to subsequent lawsuits.

We want to keep everybody safe. For that reason, law enforcement needs to stay close to the community, including immigrant communities. They cannot alienate themselves if they depend on people to help solve crime and investigate terrorism.

Raymundo El' Rojas is executive director of Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center in El Paso, Texas.

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