Morristown deputizing plan stirs up large outcry
Advocates oppose town cops serving as immigration agents

http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... /703270366
BY MINHAJ HASSAN
DAILY RECORD
Tuesday, March 27, 2007

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HANOVER TWP. -- Leaders of local, state, and federal Latin American groups Monday called on area residents to oppose Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello's application to the federal government to authorize town police to serve as immigration agents.

The pleas came Monday morning at a press conference at the Morris County Library in Whippany. It was led by the American Friends Services Committee of Newark and a Morristown-based immigration resource center, Wind of the Spirit.

Al Pina of the Florida Minority Community Investment Coalition, said the town "is on a slippery slope" if it adopts such a policy and will make history in all the wrong ways.

"It (Morristown) will be considered one of the most racist cities in America," he said.

Xiomara Guevara, executive director of the Morris County Organization for Hispanic Affairs, said Morristown would set a precedent in Morris County by deputizing police officers.

"It's going to go to Dover and surrounding communities," she said. "It is not going to be Morristown the racist city. It will be Morris County the racist county."

None of Morristown's seven council members or Mayor Cresitello were at the press conference, which attracted about 50 people.

Cresitello sent the deputization application to the federal Immigration Customs Enforcement agency three weeks ago.

Stuart Sydenstricker,