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LA police, community groups meet on immigrant questioning policy

By GREG RISLING

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES

Police Chief William Bratton met with leaders of immigrant groups Monday to discuss a possible clarification to a department policy under which officers do not ask people about their immigration status.

Bratton wants to clarify a section of the policy to allow officers to question suspected felons about their immigration status if they are believed to have been deported and then returned to the U.S. illegally. Bratton hopes it will help his department take repeat criminals off the street and reduce crime.

"This effort is to ensure the fear among the immigrant community of police will not be increased," Bratton said. "We hope to reduce that fear."

Immigrant groups believe the move could result in less cooperation between illegal immigrants and police, and also worry that the policy's clarification could spawn racial profiling and other abuses.

However, leaders were encouraged that Bratton promised to work with the groups over the coming months.

"We want to make sure human and civil rights are respected," said Salvador Sanabria, development director for El Rescate, a group that helped plan the meeting and provides legal aid and social services to Central American refugees.

"The foundation of these working groups is to avoid confusion and possible abuses," he said.

Police officials said they plan to take the item in front of the Police Commission in a few months.

Bratton's attempt to clarify department policy is the latest proposal by local law enforcement agencies to enforce federal immigration laws.

In Orange County, Sheriff Mike Carona wants to train as many as 500 deputies to nab illegal immigrants who have been convicted of a crime. The plan calls for deputies to check the status of people in jail or under investigation for serious crimes.

In Los Angeles County, Sheriff Lee Baca has received approval to train seven civilian employees this summer for a six-month pilot program to identify jail inmates who are eligible for deportation.

Bratton stressed that the Los Angeles police policy, implemented in 1979, won't be changed but enhanced. It already allows officers to notify their supervisors about suspected felons who are undocumented. The supervisors in turn can contact federal immigration authorities, who can request an arrest warrant from a judge.

Bratton said the number of felons who re-enter the country illegally appears to be on the rise and his department comes across thousands of them every year.

"I guarantee that right now there is an officer arresting somebody who fits into this category," Bratton said.

Police officials said the clarification would serve two purposes: to avoid confusion among officers in the department who may not be familiar with the policy's wording and to reduce the number of illegal immigrants who prey upon their own communities.

"There can be a lack of uniformity in a large organization like this," said Assistant Chief George Gascon. "There may never be a perfect policy but we can mitigate the mistakes by working together with the community."

Sanabria said all of the questions posed by immigrant community leaders to Bratton had to do with racial profiling. He said many of the groups have always supported the policy but want assurances from police that the clarification isn't part of an anti-immigrant movement among law enforcement agencies.

"Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, many Latinos feel they have paid a high price," Sanabria said. "Where there are racist attitudes, people are prone to commit abuses. We will fight against any discriminating policies."