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Rallyers Oppose City's Immigration Policy

May 16, 2005 6:04 pm US/Mountain
(CBS4) The shooting death of a Denver police officer is sparking a fight over immigration reform.

The suspect, Raul Garcia-Gomez was in the United States illegally at the time Detective Donald Young was killed. That has stoked the debate on immigration and whether Denver has become a sanctuary for illegal immigrants.

On Monday a group that wants to reform immigration laws held a rally at the City and County Building. They believe the door should be shut tight to illegal immigrants.

They insist that if Garcia-Gomez had been turned over to immigration authorities when stopped on traffic offenses, Young might be alive today.

Protestors claim Denver is a "sanctuary city" for undocumented workers, something the current city administration denies.

"The city of Denver complies with federal immigration law, which has been confirmed by federal officials at the Department of Immigration and Customs enforcement," mayoral spokeswoman Lindy Eichenbaum Lent said.

The suspected police killer worked at a restaurant owned by Mayor John Hickenlooper. There, he presented a social security card and alien registration so he could work as a dishwasher. The restaurant management said it had no reason to believe they were fake.

On Monday protestors delivered a letter to the mayor saying they want a "get tough" policy on undocumented workers.

"We the people will no longer tolerate federal open border policies and local sanctuary policies in our cities," Colorado Alliance for Immigration Reform spokesman Fred Elbel said.

Denver's police policy manual says immigration matters are left to the federal goverment and that determining one's immigration status is not something police should initiate. The city attorney told CBS4 this policy is no different that most every other city in the country.


When Hickenlooper took over as mayor, he put all his restaurants and bars into a blind trust. Hickenlooper does not have an active roll in their day-to-day business.



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