Northeast Ohio sheriffs answer questions about immigration concerns
By Gabriel Baird
December 02, 2009, 4:00AM


GENEVA, Ohio -- Some residents at a meeting Tuesday indicated that law enforcement should take a tougher stance on illegal immigration.

"Illegal immigrants complain they are treated like criminals," said resident Angela Gervais."Well, guess what, they are."

Three Northeast Ohio sheriffs met Tuesday with about 60 residents with complaints about illegal immigration. Sheriffs Billy Johnson of Ashtabula County, Dan Dunlap of Lake County and Daniel McClelland of Geauga County spoke about the issue and answered questions at a two-hour meeting held by the Grassroots Rally Team at the Veterans of Foreign Wars hall in Geneva.

Many at the meeting wanted police to target areas where illegal immigrants are thought to live and round them up.

But the sheriffs said they do not, and legally cannot, target any group of people.

"We do not hunt illegal immigrants," Dunlap said.

He began the meeting by saying that he was not endorsing any organization by speaking at the team's meeting. Started in 2007, the Grassroots Rally Team has been dedicated to fighting illegal immigration, according to members.

Dunlap also said he would be willing to speak to a counter group called the Organization of Hispanic Women in Lake and Ashtabula, or HOLA.

No one from HOLA or other Hispanic groups spoke at the meeting Tuesday.

In October, HOLA accused local police of harassing Hispanics, a charge law enforcement officials, including Johnson, denied. The sheriffs reiterated this Tuesday.

"We don't have the time to profile people. We don't have the manpower," Johnson said.

He said the law requires officers to have probable cause before stopping someone.

When deputies stop anyone, they ask for identification regardless of their color or accent, the sheriffs said.

The law gives law enforcement the power to hold only a person who has broken a law or who is wanted on a warrant, the sheriffs emphasized.

"We can't arrest a person just for being here illegally. It seems sort of wacky, but that's true," Dunlap said.

One resident asked what, if anything, state and federal authorities could do to make the sheriffs' jobs easier.

"What would make life easier is if they would secure the border in the first place. Then we wouldn't be here discussing this issue," Dunlap said to the night's most enthusiastic applause.


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