Thread: Both sides of debate answer 5 questions

Both sides of debate answer 5 questions
Star-Telegram

http://www.star-telegram.com

In advance of today's march against Irving's Criminal Alien Program, the Star-Telegram asked the march's lead organizer, Carlos Quintanilla, and Irving Police Chief Larry Boyd five questions by e-mail.

The Criminal Alien Program has attracted condemnation and support for leading to the deportation of more than 1,600 illegal immigrants who were arrested by Irving police for nonimmigration offenses. Officials in the city jail question people arrested and refer suspected illegal immigrants to federal immigration authorities.

Carlos Quintanilla
Many people say Irving is just enforcing the law. How can you oppose that?

Recent data confirms what we have said all along -- that there is targeted racial profiling. Of the 1,638 immigrant deportations, 99 percent are Hispanic, yet Irving has a sizeable non-Hispanic immigrant population. Ninety-three percent of the "crimes" attributed to these immigrants were minor offenses, nondeportable offenses under any other circumstances. Anti-immigrant groups have boasted that immigrants are violent criminals, yet the data released by Irving PD refutes those arguments and scare tactics.

What specifically do you want Irving to do?

Not only has Irving arrested immigrants for traffic offenses, they have targeted apartment complexes, conducting illegal raids, arresting immigrants en masse for minor charges. The raids were conducted without search warrants, identifiable suspects and probable cause. We want this selective enforcement, racial profiling and massive deportations for minor offenses to stop.

No lawsuits have been filed against Irving, as they quickly were against Farmers Branch and other cities that took anti-illegal immigration stances. Does this suggest Irving is within the law and within its rights to do what it's doing?

No, we are looking into legal action. We will be working with the Mexican Consulate to receive complaints of persons who have been unlawfully detained, arrested and/or deported. We are also receiving complaints from American citizens who were subjected to racial profiling and potential violation of their rights. We firmly believe that Irving is wrong in what they are doing.

Why have another protest? Didn't the one on Sept. 26 backfire, since it resulted in a flood of phone calls to City Hall in favor of the Criminal Alien Program?

We do not believe that phone calls were overwhelmingly in favor of a dysfunctional program called CAP.

Isn't this just another repeat of what we've seen many times in the immigration debate of the last two years or so: Pro-immigrant forces show a lot of strength in marches and protests but are beaten back by their opponents flooding Congress or City Hall with phone calls?

Today's march in Irving will further galvanize our community, motivate our youth to become involved, highlight and expose the racism that still exists and is promoted by a small but vocal group. The march will further develop leadership that will go out and organize the more than 10,000 registered Hispanic voters and encourage them to vote.

We are encouraged by many young adults that were at the first rally and who have now taken a leadership role in today's march. We believe that new young activists will take our community to another level.

We are organizing for the future and the great possibilities that we see for our very young and dynamic Hispanic youth. We will also work to inform the non-Hispanic community that the fear that has been perpetuated by the anti-immigrant groups is unfounded, unsubstantiated and based solely on racism, hate and divisiveness.

Irving Police Chief Larry Boyd
Why did you start the Criminal Alien Program?

The Irving Police Department has had a strong working relationship with the federal government for many years. We have partnered with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to implement an innovative program that helps us reduce crime in our community and allows ICE officials to identify illegal immigrants who have broken laws in our community.

What is your goal? What are you trying to achieve?
Our goal is to ensure the safety and security of our residents by enforcing current Texas laws. It is the responsibility of the federal officials to identify and deport individuals who are in our country illegally.

More than 80 percent of these offenses were for misdemeanors. Some say this shows police just cracking down on the little guy. How do you respond to that?

We cannot selectively enforce laws; it is our responsibility to uphold all of the current laws. Many of the misdemeanors are, in fact, significant offenses. For example, in the last 12 months, there have been 261 charges of driving while intoxicated, seven charges of failing to register as a sex offender, eight charges of prostitution and dozens of drug offenses committed by illegal immigrants, who have been referred to ICE officials. Any one of these offenses can result in serious harm or death to innocent victims.

Opponents of the program say it is hurting decent people and dividing families. How do you respond to that?
Our objective in enforcing current laws is to protect the safety of law-abiding citizens in our community by arresting individuals who break the law. If ICE officials determine those arrested are in the country illegally, they will take action according to federally mandated immigration laws.

Ninety percent of people who were turned over to ICE were from Mexico or Central America. Are you concerned this will alienate the Hispanic and immigrant communities from the Police Department and keep them from reporting crime?

People who report crimes to the police do not, and will not, have their residency status checked. Only those who have been arrested will be screened by ICE officials. The city of Irving places a high value on the diversity in our community. With Hispanics representing more than 40 percent of our population, we have rich cultural traditions and heritages to protect. We are working diligently to reach out to the Hispanic and immigrant community to clear up misperceptions about the Criminal Alien Program that have been caused by outside agitators. For example, the Irving Police Department has established a dedicated, confidential Spanish-language hot line for residents that serves as an outlet for information and for registering any concerns. We will continue to work with the Hispanic and immigrant community, and all residents of Irving, to make our streets safer and safeguard our community's quality of life.

-- Compiled by staff writer Patrick McGee

This is where the political correctness comes in!


"The city of Irving places a high value on the diversity in our community"

If they are breaking the law ENFORCE IT PERIOD!

You gotta give it to these guys -never emotional, always factual... That's why the pro-illegal crowd can't touch them. I hope Farmers Branch is working on doing the same thing as Irving is with regard to illegals. Americans have always been very tolerant of diversity, but what is happening here is nothing short of an invasion and colonization. Good job Irving!!!

"illegal raids"? HAHA how convenient to call a raid illegal! How is any raid meant to go after illegal aliens illegal in itself?