Thread: Mexican Consul meddling in Arkansas immigration laws

Consul: Police immigration plan "closing the door" on Hispanics
By JON GAMBRELL
Monday, August 27, 2007 4:45 PM CDT
http://www.pbcommercial.com/articles/20 ... 9jni80.txt

LITTLE ROCK - Communities in northwest Arkansas that send police officers to receive immigration enforcement training are "closing the door" to reaching the state's growing Hispanic population, the region's Mexican consul said Monday.

Consul Andres Chao offered his harshest criticism on the immigration training, singling out Rogers Mayor Steve Womack for ignoring his request to discuss the practice. Rogers, Springdale and the Benton and Washington county sheriff's offices sent officers to Boston this month to learn how to screen inmates' immigration status and report illegal immigrants for possible deportation.

"The solution to that problem (of immigration) is to open the communication channels, to open the doors to the community," Chao told a meeting of the Arkansas Committee on Foreign Relations. "They're going to close the door."

Womack said an employee of the consulate talked to one of his assistants about scheduling a time to talk during the upcoming LPGA Northwest Arkansas Championship in Rogers. Womack said he wouldn't mind talking for "15 minutes or a half an hour" with Chao if the consul could be flexible with his timing.

"Everything we've done has been completely publicly disclosed and scrutinized. If the consul's wishes are to meet with me and hear our story from me personally, then I'm all for that," Womack said. "If the purpose of the visit is to attempt to get the city of Rogers to water down its approach to (the program), that's probably going to be a futile attempt."

Rogers began the push to train its police force after an undercover officer was shot while trying to serve a warrant at the home of an illegal immigrant in October. The four agencies have discussed forming a regional task force to handle immigration checks in northwest Arkansas, home to much of the state's rapidly growing Hispanic community.

Census estimates show Arkansas has about 144,000 Hispanic residents. Other studies conclude half of the state's immigrant population lives there illegal.

Chao, who serves the Mexican population in Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Tennessee, said the push by local police agencies to enforce immigration laws had many concerned.

"There is worry about this situation," Chao told reporters after his speech. "I've received a lot of phone calls from the church, from the people who live and work there, they are worried what is going to be the next step. What is going to happen with these people with this authority go back to Rogers with this new training?"

Womack said Rogers planned to use a "field model" in checking immigration status _ meaning an officer could run the immigration status of someone pulled over for a traffic stop. However, Womack said race would not be a factor in deciding who to run through the immigration database.

In 2003, Hispanic motorists sued the city of Rogers claiming police racially profiled them. A settlement required police to form a committee that would meet at least twice a year to discuss efforts to connect with the Hispanic community.

On Monday, Womack stressed the Arkansas Municipal League settled the lawsuit on behalf of the city, which admitted no guilt. He said the settlement helped the city avoid a potentially costly lawsuit, though he said he'd be willing to face another lawsuit to implement the immigration checks.

"The mood of this region and the mood of this country right now is that it's time that somebody did something about a problem in our country that is getting out of hand," Womack said. "Illegal immigration is out of hand."

A service of the Associated Press(AP)
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Mexican Consul Comments on Immigration Checks
Monday August 27, 2007 1:51pm
http://www.katv.com/news/stories/0807/450716.html

Little Rock (AP) - Mexican consul Andres Chao says the city of Rogers is "closing the door" on discussions about immigration by training its police officers to do immigration checks.

Chao made the comments today at a meeting of the Arkansas Committee Foreign Relations. Chao's comments were the most direct remarks he's made regarding the immigration program.

Rogers, along with the Fayetteville Police Department and the Benton County jail, have officers now receiving federal training on how to do immigration checks. Chao says cities like Rogers should open doors to communication about immigration.

Chao also stressed that the Mexican Consulate, which opened earlier this year, does not ask its clientele their legal status as its duty is to defend the rights of Mexican citizens abroad.

YES Go Womack. If they are here legally they have nothing to worry about. Those that are worried with any luck should be!!!


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WHOO HOOO MAYOR WOMACK!! Who do these people think they are?? We don't have to "communicate" anything with them, except to point them south!!!


"Chao also stressed that the Mexican Consulate, which opened earlier this year, does not ask its clientele their legal status as its duty is to defend the rights of Mexican citizens abroad."

Hmmm defend the rights of Mexican citizens abroad? Well, if you're here illegally, you have no rights, and if you immigrated the right way, you'd most likely be an AMERICAN citizen, so I guess there's no use for the Mexican Consulate!!

Another hypocritical Mexican government official obfuscated the difference between ILLEGAL Hispanics and LEGAL Hispanics while interfering with internal U.S. politics!

Did you know that in Mexico, as a foreign national or a tourist, you can be deported for criticizing Mexican policies?

It’s time we start reducing the numbers of these Mexican Consular offices. They are nothing but a front for the invasion of America.

— One Old Veteran
http://www.oneoldvet.com/

I say that Mayor Womack gift Chao with a flute which magically plays Mariachi music. Then, like a good little Consular, he can get all of the illegals to follow him back across the border.

I think Womack and Sheriff Arapio are cut off the same piece of cloth.

Did you get the feeling Chao is talking to himself cause it sure seems nobody else is listening ?

Yup its time to get all these Mexican citizens outta here so there will be NO need for all these Consulars !!!!!!