Mexican Consul General advises immigrants to avoid Texas region

http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/?NS_cid=24


IRVING, TX - Recently the Mexican Consul General of Dallas recommended that immigrants avoid the area of Irving, Texas due to the large number of immigrants arrested and turned over to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Since June 2006 the consul, Enrique Hubbard, claims that Irving law enforcement has arrested about 1,600 immigrants. He mentioned one example where immigrants were having a barbecue in their apartment complex when they were questioned by police about their legal status. The consul believes that communities with large immigrant populations especially Hispanics are being singled out and is classifying this as racial profiling. The number of immigrants arrested is greater than 1,600 when taking into consideration that many other immigrants have been detained under the 24/7 Criminal Alien Program where the legal status of the detainee is checked. If the detainee is not able to show acceptable documentation verifying their legal status, then the detainee is handed over to ICE officials and most likely deported. Hubbard is criticizing the Irving police for putting in significant time and resources in going after immigrants when they should be going after criminals. Officials responded by saying that they only target apartments where high crime rates abound and that the jail staff plays a large role in trying to identify detainees who are here illegally. Herbert Gears, Irving's mayor, stressed that those arrested were arrested for a reason like an offense and that the police department does not inquire into an individual's legal status.

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