Thread: N.M.: Coss fields questions about city's immigration stance

Coss fields questions about city's immigration stance
Sandra Baltazar MartÃ*nez | The New Mexican
Posted: Saturday, September 11, 2010 - 9/10/10

The subject of immigration — legal and illegal — is coming up in local classrooms, especially since passage of strict new laws in places such as Iowa and Arizona.

In June, Lee Lewin, a teacher and co-founder of the Santa Fe Girls School, invited Mayor David Coss to answer questions about immigration from a group of about 30 of her students. The discussion inevitably led to inquiries about Santa Fe's 11-year-old resolution that prohibits the use of municipal resources to arrest undocumented immigrants. Crossing the border without proper documentation is a civil misdemeanor.

Many people refer to Santa Fe as a "sanctuary city," but that's not a true description of the policy, Coss said.

"There is no such thing as a 'sanctuary city.' The city of Santa Fe is fully subject to U.S. and state laws," Coss explained.

What is in place is Resolution No. 1999-6, titled "A Resolution Declaring a Policy of Non-discrimination on the basis of a Person's National Origin and Appointing an Immigration Task Force," which basically states that the city will not use its resources to "identify or apprehend any non-citizen resident on the sole basis of immigration status."

City police officers do and will cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents when an undocumented person is arrested for drug trafficking or any violent crime, Coss said.

Since Arizona's governor signed SB 1070, a strict new immigration law, in April, Coss said he has been spending more time answering e-mails or talking to people on the phone who want to enact a similar law in Santa Fe.

In a May 12 e-mail, a Santa Fe resident said he supported the Arizona law and blamed immigrants for alleged crimes committed against him.

"I had my I.D. stolen and used by a bunch of illegal immigrants to get jobs and public assistance. My life has been turned upside down from this event. The other crime was being hit by an uninsured illegal. Get this.....he had a NM Driver License, but no insurance!" the man wrote.

The letter writer did not respond to attempts to contact him via e-mail.

Another person, who does not live here but has a son who does, e-mailed Coss on May 3, saying, "Since you appear to feel that the hard working people who work and live in your town should support undocumented parasites, I can only say that I will either stay in Los Alamos or travel to Albuquerque to spend my money rather than provide you with tax revenue."

Such sentiments are not shared by all New Mexico residents, said Gabriel Ramon Sanchez, an assistant professor of political science at The University of New Mexico. In fact, he said, most New Mexicans would likely oppose the implementation of a law similar to SB 1070. New Mexico recognizes both languages and is "respectful of both cultures," he said. In addition, the state allows undocumented residents to apply for driver's licenses and lets students attend college and pay in-state tuition. These actions indicate that New Mexicans are "respectful and responsive of undocumented immigrants," Sanchez said.

New Mexico's immigrant population — U.S. Census numbers range from 8 percent to 9 percent — is a lot smaller than other states, Sanchez pointed out, which means New Mexicans are generally further removed from the immigrant experience.

www.santafenewmexican.com

New Mexico recognizes both languages and is "respectful of both cultures," he said. In addition, the state allows undocumented residents to apply for driver's licenses and lets students attend college and pay in-state tuition. These actions indicate that New Mexicans are "respectful and responsive of undocumented immigrants," Sanchez said.

If, as I suspect, these decisions were made by the politicians of NM without the input of Legal Residents "it" doesn't reflect a GD thing other than politicians ignoring the will of the people. A few years ago then Gov. of NY E, Spitzer tried to ram through a law allowing IAs DL's here but the public spoke spoke up and thwarted that by 70 to 80%!

I strongly believe the same percentages of the NY public are opposed to the Sanctuary Status of NY and NYC.