Thread: Irving TX: Phone calls started pouring in at City Hall

By BRANDON FORMBY / The Dallas Morning News
bformby@dallasnews.com

The phone calls started pouring in at Irving City Hall on Thursday morning.

SONYA N. HEBERT/DMN
Pastor Eva Rivera of Irving recited the Pledge of Allegiance at a rally on Wednesday at Irving City Hall to protest increased deportation of illegal immigrants. But on Thursday, many people called City Hall to voice support for the program. They were prompted by activists who implored a crowd of more than 1,000 people at a rally Wednesday night to call for an end to a program that turns over arrested illegal immigrants to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

But most callers weren't asking for an end to the program – they were voicing their support.

"It was ringing over and over, and by far, the biggest percent was in favor," City Secretary Janice Carroll said Thursday afternoon.

Irving police last year began using what's called the 24/7 Criminal Alien Program. It provides for around-the-clock communication with federal authorities and is designed to detain illegal immigrants who have been accused of a crime. It's the latest tool being used by local governments in the absence of a federal overhaul of immigration laws. So far, Irving police have turned over more than 1,600 people to immigration officials.

Mayor Herbert Gears estimates that 300 people in Irving are being turned over each month – more than in any other city in the nation.

Tensions over the program continued to boil over Thursday night outside City Hall as a handful of people argued about city officials.

Organizers of Wednesday's rally criticized council member Beth Van Duyne for saying that she would like to do more to combat illegal immigration. But one of Ms. Van Duyne's supporters often spoke over the rally organizers.

Sue Richardson, vice president of the Greater Irving Republican Club, said the organizers are misrepresenting facts and trying to spin Ms. Van Duyne's comments to make her look bad.

At a Citizens for Immigration Reform meeting last month, Ms. Van Duyne made a speech about Irving's use of the Criminal Alien Program and answered audience questions. She told attendants she had met with Tim O'Hare, the Farmers Branch council member who spearheaded a controversial illegal-immigration ordinance in that city.

Anthony Bond, an Irving community activist, said Ms. Van Duyne cared more about her political career than the welfare of Irving residents.

"Beth Van Duyne has a thinly veiled agenda that goes far beyond the city of Irving," he said.

But Ms. Van Duyne said many of her statements were taken out of context and are now being used to vilify her. She said most Irving residents support the program.

"We are being very responsive to our community," she said Thursday. "This is what they want us to do."

Mr. Gears said city officials are obligated to uphold the law and will continue to use the program, which is available to any city that wishes to participate.

"Of the 200 e-mails I've read so far, one is negative and all the rest are positive," Mr. Gears said Thursday afternoon. "People are very overwhelmingly supporting what we are doing."

Carlos Quintanilla, a Hispanic activist and an organizer of Wednesday's rally, could not be reached for comment Thursday.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... cef7d.html

Carlos Quintanilla, a Hispanic activist and an organizer of Wednesday's rally, could not be reached for comment Thursday.

I heard this jackass on Laura Ingraham today. He was spewing some nonsense that "just because people crossed the border illegally, that does not mean that they are necessarily here illegally."

He got that phrase from the Barton County, Kansas case that made the preposterous ruling:

"While unauthorized entry into the United States is illegal, being in the country after having entered illegally is not necessarily a crime."


The case is on appeal.

Thank you Nouveauxpoor!!!

I was feeling a little blue and this really picked me up.

Originally Posted by Nouveauxpoor

He got that phrase from the Barton County, Kansas case that made the preposterous ruling:

"While unauthorized entry into the United States is illegal, being in the country after having entered illegally is not necessarily a crime."


The case is on appeal.

being in the country illegally is a crime, that is precisely what it means


um gee after entering your home illegally being in your home after having entered illegally is not necessarily a crime

Originally Posted by Nouveauxpoor

Anthony Bond, an Irving community activist, said Ms. Van Duyne cared more about her political career than the welfare of Irving residents.

"Beth Van Duyne has a thinly veiled agenda that goes far beyond the city of Irving," he said.

Funny, isn't it, how a government official who upholds law and order is a political climber.

But at the same time, those who are looking toward the next election shy away from enforcing the law.

a==b and a<>b

Eastern logic: union of contradictions

In the West, we call it "cognitive dissonance."

The scriptures speak of "a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." (James 1:8 )

Originally Posted by MinutemanCDC_SC

Originally Posted by Nouveauxpoor

Anthony Bond, an Irving community activist, said Ms. Van Duyne cared more about her political career than the welfare of Irving residents.

"Beth Van Duyne has a thinly veiled agenda that goes far beyond the city of Irving," he said.

Funny, isn't it, how a government official who upholds law and order is a political climber.

But at the same time, those who are looking toward the next election shy away from enforcing the law.

a==b and a<>b

Eastern logic: union of contradictions

In the West, we call it "cognitive dissonance."

The scriptures speak of "a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." (James 1:8 )

Great point.