Irving OKs immigration program

09:54 AM CDT on Friday, June 15, 2007

By ERIC AASEN / The Dallas Morning News

IRVING β€” Residents filled the Irving City Council chambers Thursday night with yells, heckles, cheers and boos as they sounded off on the city's efforts to battle illegal immigration.

Several dozen people criticized city officials for not doing enough to tackle the issue. Several others voiced support for the city's efforts.

The city works with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to identify and remove illegal immigrants from the city jail.

City Council members say Irving is doing more than any other North Texas city to tackle illegal immigration. After about three hours of discussion, the council voted 9-0 to approve what the city is already doing, the so-called 24/7 Criminal Alien Program.

Despite the unanimous vote, two council members have either said the city isn't doing enough to tackle illegal immigration or want more time to study illegal-immigration programs.

Mayor Herbert Gears said the vote would allow the council to make a "formal statement about the success of our policy."

Council member Allan Meagher said Thursday night's vote wouldn't end the discussion over tackling illegal immigration.

"By approving CAP, [it] doesn't mean we're going to stop looking at more effective ways to enforce the laws," Meagher said. "We're going to continue to look at [the issue]."

Police officers were present at Thursday's proceedings, and some attendees were told to calm down or be kicked out of City Hall.

Some council members asked residents to take a step back and rein in their emotions.

"We should be able to talk about [the issues] freely without being labeled or yelled at," council member Beth Van Duyne said. "Let's talk about it in a reasonable manner. Let's not get personal. Let's not attack."

Irving officials say more than 700 illegal immigrants have been removed since the partnership with ICE began in the fall.

The CAP effort doesn't satisfy many residents who want the city to join a federal initiative that would train Irving police so they can process and detain illegal immigrants.

Residents say the federal 287(g) program would give city employees more power to track down illegal immigrants who have brought drugs and crime with them to North Texas. Some residents said Thursday that illegal immigrants have transformed south Irving in negative ways.

They said they see too many people crammed into dilapidated houses and neighbors who park too many cars in their yards.

"You know what [illegal immigration is] doing to our schools, you know what it's doing to our economy, you know what it's doing to our property values," Nancy Wilson said. "If you love this country ... let's bring in the feds."

Anthony Bond said the city is doing the right thing.

"It's not good for our city for this to divide us and to have us bickering with one another," Bond said. "No one has an adequate solution to the illegal immigration problem

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