Thread: Incidents show why it's tough to halt illegal immigration

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Incidents whow why it's tough to halt illegal immigrants
Thursday, 10 August 2006
While Hazleton presses on with its efforts to control illegal immigration in the city limits, two incidents this past week illustrate just how difficult the problem will be to control.

On Sunday, state police checking on a car that broke down on Interstate 80 in Butler Township found that the four occupants were illegal immigrants from Mexico.

Troopers did the right thing. They contacted federal immigration authorities for guidance. The feds’ response? Let them go.
So the illegals were allowed to continue their trip to Chicago.

A day later, thousands of miles away in Arizona, Border Patrol agents took off after an SUV that had tried to circumvent a checkpoint on a highway near Yuma. The Chevy Suburban tried to make a U-turn, but it rolled over, spilling passengers onto the road. Nine illegal immigrants were killed.

Astonishingly, the vehicle had been carrying 21 people, apparently all of them illegal immigrants from throughout Mexico. They had been stacked inside the SUV, one on top of another.

The Butler Township incident shows how difficult it is to enforce immigration laws. Too often, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) simply looks the other way when local police detain illegals. The reason may be that there are simply too many illegal immigrants for federal officials to cope with.

The Arizona tragedy illustrates the lengths to which immigrants will go to get into the United States. When people are willing to risk their lives, many of them more than once, to sneak into America, it’s difficult to stop them.

Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta, backed up by his city council, is doing what he can to stem the tide of illegals locally.

It may be difficult to measure the impact of the city’s Illegal Immigration Relief Ordinance, but stories around town suggest that a number of apparently illegal immigrants have already packed their bags. “For rent” signs have been showing up on buildings throughout the city and it’s probably safe to assume that most of the people who left weren’t properly documented.

Until the U.S. Congress takes effective action on immigration, it will be left to towns like Hazleton to do what they can to police their own borders.

On Sunday, state police checking on a car that broke down on Interstate 80 in Butler Township found that the four occupants were illegal immigrants from Mexico.

Troopers did the right thing. They contacted federal immigration authorities for guidance. The feds’ response? Let them go.
So the illegals were allowed to continue their trip to Chicago.

It's time state and local law enforcement officials learn how to properly respond to ICE when they are told to release illegals. What choice would ICE have if local law enforcement actually said "NO" and insisted they pick up the criminal law breaking illegal immigrants? Hey, give these law enforcement officials that are serious about enforcement a direct line to the news media, that's probably all it would take to fix the "release 'em" response problem many are receiving from ICE.

Click here: Judicial Watch
http://www.judicialwatch.org/5814.shtml

For Immediate Release Jul 20, 2006 Contact: Press Office 202-646-5188

Government Documents Detail Local Law Enforcement Role in Immigration Enforcement

Federal Law Authorizes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to

Train Local Officers in Immigration Enforcement Techniques

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch, the public interest group that fights government corruption, announced today that it has uncovered government documents that indicate local law enforcement officers can be effective in enforcing our nation’s immigration laws. Judicial Watch obtained the documents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) as part of its continuing investigation of the federal government’s failure to secure the borders.
According to the documents, the 1996 Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) “authorized the Secretary of Homeland Security to enter into a written agreement to delegate the authority of enforcing federal immigration laws to a state or political sub-division of a state.” Through Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), local law enforcement officers can receive immigration enforcement training – called “287(g) cross designation training.” The cost for the five-week program is approximately $520 per officer.Highlights from the documents include:

As of June 2006, 136 officers received 287(g) training from four states, including, Alabama, Arizona, California and Florida. 287(g)-trained law enforcement officers have accounted for 820 immigration-related arrests since the program began in 2002.
While many of the arrests relate to fraudulent documents, others involve rape, drug possession, firearm possession, driving under the influence, and burglary.
The documents note that certain states and localities inquired about the training program, but failed to follow through, including: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia.“Some local law enforcement agencies claim they lack the ability to enforce our nation’s immigration laws. These documents prove that claim false,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “Local communities that want to help enforce immigration laws can do so legally and cost effectively.”
Judicial Watch filed its original FOIA request on July 12, 2005 and received the documents on June 20, 2006. To read the documents, click here.


Click here: Judicial Watch
http://www.judicialwatch.org/5809.shtml
*For Immediate Release
Jul 17, 2006 Contact: Press Office
202-646-5188


Judicial Watch Challenges the LAPD's "Special Order 40" in New Court Filing

Illegal Immigration “Sanctuary” Policy Violates Federal Law
Court Hearing Scheduled for July 27

*Judicial Watch Challenges the LAPD's "Special Order 40" in New Court Filing*(July 17, 2006)
http://www.judicialwatch.org/5809.shtml
Judicial Watch Sues Los Angeles Police Department Over Dangerous & Unlawful Immigration Policy (May 2, 2006)
*http://www.judicialwatch.org/5761.shtml

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