Thread: Luis Gutierrez: Illegal Aliens Should Carry Documents

Luis Gutierrez: Undocumented Immigrants Should Carry Documents Proving Ties To U.S.

First Posted: 12/ 2/11 12:37 PM ET Updated: 12/ 2/11 12:52 PM ET

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) urged undocumented immigrants on Wednesday to carry copies of documents that can prove their strong ties to the United States, such as high school transcripts, marriage certificates to U.S. citizens, and U.S.-born children's birth certificates.

"The local cops are still going to get you for driving without a license, or not coming to a complete stop, or simply making up that your taillight was out," he said at a press conference. "But when they take you to Secretary [Janet] Napolitano's officers at ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], what should happen is that you should show them that you have strong ties and when they run your record and it shows you have no criminal history, you should be allowed to go free right there and then."

Gutierrez, a longtime supporter of immigration reform, recently visited Alabama and South Carolina to see the impact of their immigration enforcement laws firsthand. During the Alabama visit last week, a group of House Democrats heard from residents, including undocumented immigrants, about their experiences with the law.

Both state legislatures passed laws that, like Arizona's S.B. 1070, allow police to inquire about immigration status during stops, should they "reasonably suspect" the individual is an undocumented immigrant. The Department of Justice sued both states, along with Arizona and Utah, to block the states' immigration laws on the grounds that they preempt federal authority over immigration. Nearly 40 House Democrats signed an amicus brief last week in support of the lawsuit against Alabama's H.B. 56.

But some House Democrats want to see the Obama administration do more to block these laws in states. When Napolitano meets with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus next week, Gutierrez said he plans to ask her whether the government is deporting people arrested under the Alabama law.

"They cannot on one hand fight against the legislation ... and on the other hand deport the very people who are victimized by that law," he said. "There has to be some consistency in how it is we look at the law."

In the meantime, he said undocumented immigrants should be sure they can prove ties to the United States that might make them eligible for prosecutorial discretion. Under an Obama administration policy announced on Aug. 18, some 300,000 deportation cases will be reviewed with the aim of closing those deemed low priority.

Undocumented immigrants who are related to military service members, have U.S. citizen spouses or children, who came to the country when they were younger than 18, or are elderly or disabled may be allowed to stay under the policy, as long as they do not have a criminal record.

To prove they could benefit from that policy, undocumented immigrants around the country could carry or keep available records of their spouses and children, including documents proving they are related to someone in the military, Gutierrez said.

The congressman knows from past experience that proving strong ties to the United States can help undocumented immigrants get out of detention. Gutierrez helped a South Carolina man named Gabino Sanchez get released by immigration authorities this week.

Sanchez was picked up by police for a traffic violation and found to be in the country illegally. He was able to prove, with Gutierrez's help, that he had entered the United States as a child, had a citizen wife and children and had no previous arrest record.

Sanchez was released, but he remains in deportation proceedings.

House Democrats said they will continue to fight the Alabama immigration law, although they acknowledged that the best solution, comprehensive immigration reform, is likely impossible during this congressional session.

"Looking at the chairman of the Immigration Subcommittee and the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, I doubt very much that we will see the reform that's necessary in this Congress," Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), ranking member of the House Immigration Subcommittee, said at the press conference. "In the meanwhile, [we should] make sure that the Constitution is applied. The laws are unconstitutional."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/0 ... 25733.html

" Luis Gutierrez: Illegal Aliens Should Carry Documents" and show them to the police when requested to do so.

Isn't this just what the AZ., and other states', laws say?

Illinois congressman recommends illegal immigrants carry documents showing US roots

By Associated Press, Updated: Friday, December 2, 8:36 AM

WASHINGTON — An Illinois congressman is recommending that illegal immigrants living in states with tough new immigration laws start carrying documents showing their ties to their U.S. communities.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez, a Democrat, says illegal immigrants arrested for immigration violations by local police in states such as Alabama and South Carolina should show the documents to federal agents. He says they can ask to be released under the Department of Homeland Security’s prosecutorial discretion policy.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Morton issued a memo in June detailing how ICE agents could use discretion when deciding which illegal immigrants shouldn’t be deported. Morton cited cases such as young people brought to the country illegally as children and people with children or spouses who are U.S. citizens.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ ... story.html

"The local cops are still going to get you for driving without a license, or not coming to a complete stop, or simply making up that your taillight was out," he said at a press conference. "But when they take you to Secretary [Janet] Napolitano's officers at ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], what should happen is that you should show them that you have strong ties and when they run your record and it shows you have no criminal history, you should be allowed to go free right there and then."

Executive decree AMNESTY not authorized by the US Congress or public!

W

Let's allow illegal aliens to drive without licenses violating yet another law under which Americans would be arrested for committing the same offense. Senor Gutierrez is another LaRaza owned open borders and illegal immigration proponent and why this country is going to hell in a hand basket because we are becoming (if we haven't already) another lawless corrupt third world nation.....

And just what kind of documents would that be Gutierrez? Fake or stolen ones? We all know that's what they get.

NO - they need to go home and get LEGAL ones, come into the U.s. legally or don't come back at all. If they are NOT citizens of this country, they are here against the law and should each and every one be sent back home.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) urged undocumented immigrants on Wednesday to carry copies of documents that can prove their strong ties to the United States, such as high school transcripts, marriage certificates to U.S. citizens, and U.S.-born children's birth certificates.

When I read this I had a mental picture of an illegal with a giant mustache driving a car stuffed to the brim with papers and losing them through the windows as he drives off into the sunset.

"The local cops are still going to get you for driving without a license, or not coming to a complete stop, or simply making up that your taillight was out," he said at a press conference

You know it really burns my A$$ that any politician is allowed to make such statements.

If such racism actually existed it would rear it's ugly head regardless of illegal alien status.

"The local cops are still going to get you for driving without a license, or not coming to a complete stop, or simply making up that your taillight was out," he said at a press conference. "But when they take you to Secretary [Janet] Napolitano's officers at ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], what should happen is that you should show them that you have strong ties and when they run your record and it shows you have no criminal history, you should be allowed to go free right there and then."

Funny...I do not recall reading this provision anywhere in current immigration law!

deport Luis Gutierrez