Thread: Anti-sanctuary law sets off consular tiff

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Anti-sanctuary law sets off consular tiff

By Valerie Richardson
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
May 7, 2006

DENVER -- A newly signed Colorado law prohibiting "sanctuary" cities has ignited a feud between a state lawmaker and the Mexican consul.

State Sen. Tom Wiens, a Republican, fired off a letter Friday accusing Mexican Consul General Juan Marcos Gutierrez of interfering in U.S. policy-making after the consul general criticized the anti-sanctuary measure.

"He should apologize for meddling in our affairs," said Mr. Wiens, the bill's sponsor.

Mr. Gutierrez responded with a letter yesterday arguing that the law had raised concerns about the safety of Mexican citizens living in Colorado.

"First, I respectfully acknowledge that I do not share your opinion about concerns regarding disregard for the rights of a sovereign nation to pass and enforce its own laws," Mr. Gutierrez said in the letter. "[The law] is aimed to have an impact on immigrants and their migration status, which obligates us to fulfill our function of protecting the rights of our nationals while the law is being applied."

Last week, Mr. Gutierrez said he worried that the law would result in racial profiling of Hispanics, regardless of their immigration status. He said the consul had received a number of calls from people worried about the law's effect.

"What this bill does is allow each and every employee of local government to build their own policy based on their own beliefs," Mr. Gutierrez said Thursday. "This is leaving a window open for any employee who has a personal agenda on immigration to make a decision based on racial profiling."

His remarks infuriated Mr. Wiens, who said the consul general had impugned the integrity of Colorado officers by "insinuating that our law enforcement community would put their alleged personal agendas above the rule of law."

"That might be what they do in Mexico, but that's not how they do it here," Mr. Wiens said.

The anti-sanctuary bill, signed Monday by Colorado Gov. Bill Owens, abolishes the so-called "sanctuary city" policies that prohibit law enforcement officers from asking suspected illegal aliens about their residency status. Under such policies, only those arrested on felony charges may be asked whether they are living in the United States legally.

Many major U.S. cities, and at least three in Colorado -- Denver, Boulder and Durango -- have approved some sort of sanctuary protection for illegal aliens.

Under the new law, state and local police would be required to alert Immigration and Customs Enforcement after arresting a suspected illegal alien on felony or misdemeanor charges. The law would not apply to traffic stops or domestic violence, primarily to encourage women to report physical abuse in the latter case.

The law wasn't considered controversial at the time of its passage: Senate Bill 90 was approved unanimously in the state Senate last month and overwhelmingly in the House. Both chambers are narrowly controlled by Democrats.

Jeff Joseph, a Denver immigration lawyer, said he worried that the law would erode trust between police and the state's ethnic communities. He also predicted an increase in civil rights lawsuits if police mistake Hispanic citizens for illegal aliens.

"If you pull someone over, and they've forgotten their ID, but they have an accent and brown skin, there's going to be racial profiling involved," Mr. Joseph said.

glad to hear a statesmen told Mexico to mind their own business ...

these states ARE starting to stand up for state's rights!!!!

Mr. Gutierrez responded with a letter yesterday arguing that the law had raised concerns about the safety of Mexican citizens living in Colorado.

"First, I respectfully acknowledge that I do not share your opinion about concerns regarding disregard for the rights of a sovereign nation to pass and enforce its own laws," Mr. Gutierrez said in the letter. "[The law] is aimed to have an impact on immigrants and their migration status, which obligates us to fulfill our function of protecting the rights of our nationals while the law is being applied."

Last week, Mr. Gutierrez said he worried that the law would result in racial profiling of Hispanics, regardless of their immigration status. He said the consul had received a number of calls from people worried about the law's effect.

"What this bill does is allow each and every employee of local government to build their own policy based on their own beliefs," Mr. Gutierrez said Thursday. "This is leaving a window open for any employee who has a personal agenda on immigration to make a decision based on racial profiling."

This Gutierrez guy has no business in anything.

Now once again, I will show my ignorance card in hopes someone can clarify something for me. This "racial profiling" to me has become about as overused and abused as "racist". If the vast majority of illegals are brown skinned with an accent, then it would be logical to ask the question of their immigration status. It would be logical atleast to me to ask anyone that has an accent that's not of an American type for their status. They ask me for my drivers license and proof of insurance if I'm pulled over. Are they to just assume that just because I'm capable of driving that I'm doing it legally with insurance? No. Plus once I do that, why isn't it enough? Why do they go back to their squad car and verify it again? Plus they check for any outstanding warrents etc. and all I did wrong was have a tail-light burned out. How is that any different? They shine their light around my car. They ask me questions and shine a light in my eyes. They note my behavior. They look to see if it's a coke or a Bud in the can in the console. They check my seatbelt. And when I'm cleared they tell me to get my bulb fixed. I've been checked for "possible" drug and alcohol use and who knows what else during their visit to tell me my bulb is burnt. How is that any less invasive than asking for legal status?

Why isn't it "profiling" when results show as you age your driving skills sometimes fail. You have to take your tests more frequently than others to assure your still safe to drive.

They act as if your a citizen, or a white person, non of these checks or assumptions are ever checked on you. They are. OK Rambled enough...

So, if you look at the Mexico Consul's reverse message it says you can only enforce laws against non-Hispanic looking people. Because if you question any Hispanic it is automatically racial. If Colorado keeps it's law written correctly then they will win if it goes to higher courts. So far, higher courts & Supreme court have recognized the rights of the people to protect themselves.


It is interesting to see how the Latino movements arguments have shifted over the past month. At first they put a lot of emphasis on how low labor cost benefited our country. Now that effective arguments have shown the real cost to the USA in welfare support, they are changing their tune and crying racial profiling. This tells me our message is getting out.


Now, other sanctuary cities should use this is as a model and pass their own laws.

not only that, I was asked about the car I was driving one day -- it was my aunts. I was treated as a 'criminal' until the officer verified ALL of the information I had given him, after that he was VERY nice to me - he was doing his job and I could have cared less, that was the highlight of my day not the worse thing that happened.

but talk about 'racial profiling' what about when an American goes to Mexico? I didn't know my nephew went to Mexico until he was talking about it. He and his friends, which probably included his black friend, went before coming home while working offshore. They saw the sights and my nephew said "let's get the hell out of here before it gets dark" -- they KNEW they were not safe in Mexico because of the corrupt law enforcement officers.

Maybe that is the concern of Mr. Gutierrez, he's afraid the citizens of Mexico will be treated like American citizens and other foreigners in Mexico.

There is something else going on that has not been discussed a lot. I mentioned before I worked in Mexico for many years. I know that the average Mexican is ashamed of the corrupt police and political system they have. All of this recent focus on the USA by the Latino movement has caused (I think) many Mexican citizens to start looking at their own government and start asking embarrassing questions.

When you have a lousy system watch out how you criticize others.

It has got to be scary to the Mexican leadership that their people here have been exposed to higher standards and organized to make demands. It creates yet another reason to try and force the American people to keep the illegals up here.

So, if you look at the Mexico Consul's reverse message it says you can only enforce laws against non-Hispanic looking people. Because if you question any Hispanic it is automatically racial.
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Exactly right, All-American --- this line of thinking is the definition of
supremecist

So why, if passing a law against all ILLEGAL immigrants for the better of the U.S. does the Mexican Consulate have to chime in about its mexican nationals?? That's because 70% of illegal Aliens are from that particular Border with Mexico. Mexico can quit playing its, "it's not us or our fault" lies. Mexico can quit from trying to get out from under the thumb. It is MORE THAN EVER evident where the problem comes from and what the problem is.

'If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck---then it is a duck.'

If a police officer pulls over a vehicle and the driver speaks no English and has no identification then of course the Officer should have the right to verify immigration status......there is nothing wrong with that....that is the enforcement the U.S. needs to deter and end the drive of illegal Border entry. As well it could stop a Terrorist. Then such illegal Aliens will know that they are subject to this enforcement.

U.S. State by U.S. State --- immigration enforcement will have to be taken into State hands because the Feds are worthless. God bless the Minutemen and America.

May 20 9 am at 36th and Dodge streets in Omaha Nebraska patriots will assemble in front of the meddesome Mexican consulate to show our disgust with a foreign nation's representatives who have the NERVE to try to tell we, the people, how to run our affairs.

If you have friends or kin in the Omaha area please urge them to join us.

The Omaha police department, when asked about legalities, said to go for it.

U.S. State by U.S. State --- immigration enforcement will have to be taken into State hands because the Feds are worthless. God bless the Minutemen and America.

Yeah, I am from Kentucky. If an Indiana Trooper stops me I am going to cry racial profiling against Rednecks. (Sorry, but If I don't try to find something to laugh about I will go crazy).