Thread: Phoenix: Feds stepping up in rounding up illegal immigrant

Feds stepping up assistance in rounding up illegal immigrants

PHOENIX -- Metro Phoenix law enforcement agencies say they are receiving much better cooperation from federal immigrations officials than they have in the past.


Over the past year, 6,000 undocumented immigrants have been picked up after authorities called Immigration and Customs Enforcement for assistance.

That's a dramatic difference from just a few years ago when police agencies were complaining loudly about a lack of cooperation with the feds over the handling of drop houses or vehicles used in smuggling illegal immigrants into the U.S.

ICE officials say they now are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week with uniformed officers ready to respond to local police.

"I think we can boast that we've had a 100 percent response rate," said Jon Gurule, deputy field office director of ICE's detention-and-removal operations in Phoenix.

Over 12 months, ICE officers responded to 993 calls from local police, resulting in 6,251 arrests, Gurule said. That is five times as many responses as the previous 12 months, which resulted in 3,009 arrests.

"Anytime we call, they've come," said Sgt. Tim Mason, a DPS spokesman. "Things have improved with ICE. In the past, when we've called, they may not have had the resources or manpower to respond."

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has complained in the past that ICE wasn't responding to his deputies calls for assistance.

The sheriff says there's been improvement. "When we need help, like at a drophouse, they respond," he said.

Anti-illegal immigration groups said they have been pushing local police to call in the feds when they encounter someone they suspect is in the U.S. illegally.

"The practice could prevent future crimes," said Rusty Childress, founder of United for a Sovereign America, a grass-roots group that favors stricter border and immigration controls. "Any time you have a crime committed by an illegal immigrant, that crime shouldn't have happened because those people shouldn't be here," Childress said.

Civil libertarians and immigrant rights advocates said they're concerned about racial profiling when local police call in ICE during routine traffic stops.

The likelihood of being reported to ICE during a traffic stop "depends on which city you are in," said Judy Flanagan, a Phoenix immigration lawyer.

Local police should be calling ICE when they encounter smuggling and criminal activity but not during routine stops for minor traffic violations, said Alessandra Soler Meetze, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union in Arizona.

"It's going to cause a large segment of the community to be reluctant to call police," she said.

Information from: The Arizona Republic, http://www.azcentral.com

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=7027278

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has complained in the past that ICE wasn't responding to his deputies calls for assistance.

I think there should be AT LEAST 200 enforcers on duty for EVERY COUNTY IN EVERY STATE throughout the US until this invasion, as unconventional as it is, is over.

Feds helping police nab more migrants
Policy shift: ICE now responds to every Valley call
Daniel González
The Arizona Republic
Sept. 5, 2007 12:00 AM

Federal immigration officials are now responding every time a Valley police officer calls for assistance, resulting in the arrests of more than 6,000 undocumented immigrants over the past 12 months, twice as many as the year before.

The increased response marks a dramatic shift from just a few years ago. Local police departments frequently complained Immigration and Customs Enforcement didn't come or took too long when officers encountered suspected undocumented immigrants in drophouses or smuggling vehicles.

That is a common occurrence in Phoenix, a major hub for transporting illegal immigrants from the Mexican border into the U.S., and Valley police officers were frequently forced to let illegal immigrants go free.

ICE officials say that doesn't happen anymore because the agency now has uniformed officers on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to local police.

"I think we can boast that we've had a 100 percent response rate," said Jon Gurule, deputy field office director of ICE's detention-and-removal operations in Phoenix.

The agency improved its response rate by shifting the responsibility from the investigations office to its detention-and-removal division, which has more flexibility, officials said.

An increase in staffing also allowed the agency to designate uniformed detention-and-removal officers to take calls from local police round-the-clock, though ICE still doesn't have the resources to respond regularly to police in northern Arizona, where state and local police regularly encounter smuggling vehicles.

ICE officers responded to 993 calls from local police in the past 12 months, resulting in 6,251 arrests, Gurule said. That is five times as many responses as the previous 12 months, which resulted in 3,009 arrests.

Arrests made by ICE agents are in addition to those made by state Department of Public Safety and Maricopa County sheriff's deputies who have received special training from ICE to enforce federal immigration laws, Gurule said. Deputies have made 153 arrests. DPS officers have made 10.


Improvement noted


Phoenix police, the DPS and the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office generated the most calls to ICE over the past 12 months, Gurule said.

"Anytime we call, they've come," said Sgt. Tim Mason, a DPS spokesman. "Things have improved with ICE. In the past, when we've called, they may not have had the resources or manpower to respond."

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who complained in the past that ICE wasn't responding, also has seen an improvement.

"When we need help, like at a drophouse, they respond," he said.

The improved response is part of a national effort by ICE to step up enforcement of immigration laws under mounting pressure from a public frustrated with illegal immigration.

Immigrant-control groups also have been pushing local police to call ICE any time they encounter someone they suspect is in the country illegally. The practice could prevent future crimes, said Rusty Childress, founder of United for a Sovereign America, a grass-roots group that favors stricter border and immigration controls.

"Any time you have a crime committed by an illegal immigrant, that crime shouldn't have happened because those people shouldn't be here," Childress said.


Some groups concerned


Some civil-liberty groups and immigrant advocates, however, say they are concerned that local police are more likely now to call ICE during routine traffic stops, raising questions about racial profiling.

On March 9, Gilbert police called ICE after stopping a 20-year-old Arizona State University student for making an improper right turn. The student, Manuel Espinoza-Vasquez, is now fighting deportation proceedings.

On March 10, Gilbert police also called ICE after stopping a car for drag racing. Three East Valley high-school students who were in the car were later deported.

The likelihood of being reported to ICE during a traffic stop "depends on which city you are in," said Judy Flanagan, a Phoenix immigration lawyer who is representing Espinoza-Vazquez.

Alessandra Soler Meetze, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union in Arizona, said local police should be calling ICE when they encounter smuggling and criminal activity but not during routine stops for minor traffic violations.

Otherwise, immigrants, who already tend to be mistrustful of police because of experiences in their home countries, could become less likely to call police during emergencies or to report crimes, undermining public safety, she said.

It's going to cause a large segment of the community to be reluctant to call police," she said.


Traffic stops spur calls


The majority of calls ICE receives from local police are the result of traffic stops, Gurule said, but most involve smuggling or some other form of criminal activity, including illegal immigrants using fraudulent documents and hit-and-run accidents. He said police rarely call ICE during stops involving minor traffic infractions.

"If it's a routine traffic stop and the officer calls us, that's rare," Gurule said. "Usually, some other criminal activity is involved."

Some Arizona police departments have policies that restrict officers from calling ICE. In Phoenix, for example, officers can call ICE when they encounter smuggling-related activity but not during routine traffic stops.

"When a Phoenix police officer gets out of his car, he's identified as a Phoenix police officer, not a Border Patrol officer or an immigration officer," said Joel Tranter, a spokesman.

A review of Phoenix police records shows officers called ICE about 81 times since last September and turned over about 1,300 suspected undocumented immigrants to ICE.

About half of the calls were for drophouses. An additional 35 calls were for vehicles loaded with suspected undocumented immigrants. Phoenix police also called ICE involving several shooting and extortion cases.

The most recent call took place on Aug. 21, when Phoenix police received an anonymous call that undocumented immigrants were being held by smugglers inside a drophouse in northeast Phoenix near Cactus Road and 40th Street.

When police knocked on the front door, people starting jumping out windows and running out the back door, Tranter said.

With the help of a police helicopter overhead, Phoenix police rounded up 64 migrant suspects, including six possible coyotes. All 64 were turned over to ICE, he said.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepubli ... 0905.html#

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[b]Otherwise, immigrants, who already tend to be mistrustful of police because of experiences in their home countries,
Has anyone noticed the shift in the rhetoric? Two weeks ago, the criticism of stepped up enforcement was "racial profiling", heard until we barfed. Now all we're beginning to hear, for the past week or so, is allegations of fear and intimidation comparable to that brought about by brutal police forces,death squads, etc. in the illegals' home countries.

Please, after all of this time living here with absolutely no fear whatsoever of any of our authorities, they are now trying to claim that stepped up enforcement has illegals traumatized and terrorized at the mere sight of American law enforcement because it is reminiscent of the barbarism of authorties in their home countries?

I suppose it's just another ploy in their tactics to claim, and impede enforcement of our laws through claims of "human rights abuses"

Federal immigration officials are now responding every time a Valley police officer calls for assistance, resulting in the arrests of more than 6,000 undocumented immigrants over the past 12 months, twice as many as the year before.

This is key and very, very good news. Police oficers have long complained about ICE's committment and level of involvement when they've been contacted.

Originally Posted by zeezil

Federal immigration officials are now responding every time a Valley police officer calls for assistance, resulting in the arrests of more than 6,000 undocumented immigrants over the past 12 months, twice as many as the year before.

This is key and very, very good news. Police oficers have long complained about ICE's committment and level of involvement when they've been contacted.

I agree that ICE is doing a terrific job. My biggest fear is that they will be stopped from doing it as a result of what seems to be an ever growing list of lawsuits intended to accomplish exactly that.

If that day ever comes, we are truly in bigger trouble than we are now and I just don't know what recourse we would have.

Their probably picking them up and setting alot of them free instead of deporting them!! Sorry but I am really skeptical about what is going on, seems like we get stopped at every turn of enforcing the law.



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