Thread: San Jose activists demand meeting with ICE agents helping co

As anger in the immigrant community grows against San Jose Police Chief Chris Moore's alliance with the federal immigration agency, a broad band of advocacy groups gathered Friday to demand a meeting with two ICE agents who recently began working with the police department to fight gang violence.

Activists said they want to be further reassured that the agents will not be involved in deporting law abiding residents.

"Now, more than ever there needs to be a culture of trust between immigrant populations and the police department and this program will invariably damage that trust,'' said Jazmin Segura, of Services, Immigrants, Rights and Education Network (SIREN.)

Moore has, in fact, repeatedly vowed the agents will target violent criminals, not innocent citizens, undocumented or not.

But the distrust and fear of ICE in the immigrant community is so deep that activists say Moore's assurances aren't enough.

It was unclear Friday if a face-face meeting is forthcoming. Moore, who was in Washington D.C. on business, texted the Mercury News to say he was asking for such a meeting. Lori Haley, an ICE spokeswoman, said that officials were "open" to such a meeting, but nothing had been decided.

The pointed demands were made during a press conference held by groups such as SIREN, PACT, Silicon Valley De-Bug and sponsored by Sacred Heart Community Services, which joined forces to announce their shared disappointment.

Protests began soon after the Mercury News reported that Moore had invited the agents from the Department of Homeland Security's Immigration Control and Enforcement department to help combat the spike in gang violence. The agents would bring free and powerful federal resources into a department that just laid off 66 officers. But many leaders in the immigrant community, already wary of ICE, are furious with the feds for forcing local municipalities to cooperate with a fingerprint sharing program they believe leads to racial profiling and deportation of non-criminals.

So now Moore, who has made a point of saying his officers do not cooperate with federal deportation efforts, faces a difficult choice. He can continue to employ the two agents and potentially lose more credibility and trust in the community he has worked so hard to win over. Or he can back down and lose important weapons in his efforts to stem the city's rising tide of gang bloodshed in the very neighborhoods who are so upset with him.

A prayer vigil earlier this week and Friday's press conference underlined the community discontent he must face down.

People held protest signs Friday, including one that said in big block letters: "ICE OUT, FUERA."

Speakers echoed these sentiments.

Miranda Flores said that her brother was deported two months ago after an arrest.

"For people to come and tell me to trust the police, it's like making fun of me. They were the ones that took my brother,'' Flores said.

Flores added the community wants to believe in Moore and work with him.

"But he has to know that for us, things are not okay. Our families are being divided. We are scared. And a lot of times we are victims of crime or witnesses and we don't have the trust to report that.''

Contact Sean Webby at 408-920-5003.

2 ice agents working with san jose police

Both of the male agents, who have not been identified by police or their home agency, have "extensive investigative backgrounds and have previously participated in cases targeting transnational criminal street gangs," according to ICE. Both currently serve on San Francisco Homeland Security Investigations Special Response Team.
One of the agents is a graduate of Michigan State University where he majored in criminal justice. The second received a business management degree from San Jose State and holds a master's degree from SJS in criminal justice.
When asked about them, Chief Chris Moore said they are "excellent" agents


http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_18485898

These so called activists are looney OR they love gang violence!

Everywhere there is a Mexican there is a gang and PLENTY OF THEM.

Activists said they want to be further reassured that the agents will not be involved in deporting law abiding residents.
"Now, more than ever there needs to be a culture of trust between immigrant populations and the police department and this program will invariably damage that trust,'' said Jazmin Segura, of Services, Immigrants, Rights and Education Network (SIREN.)

Moore has, in fact, repeatedly vowed the agents will target violent criminals, not innocent citizens, undocumented or not.

#1. Illegal aliens, by the very definition of illegal, are NOT law-abiding. They are violating multiple laws every day and need to face the consequences.

#2. Since when are illegal aliens aka foreign nationals, citizens of the US?!?!?! We want ALL illegal aliens deported, regardless of how you find them.

No more "Mr. nice guy", round em up, get em out NOW!

In this thread there is one post which is an exhibition of anti ethnic bias and a second which is a truthful statement from a legal immigrant Latina. Illegal aliens are not law abiding residents nor are they citizens.

Its like beating a dead horse! They will NEVER admit being an illegal immigrant is a crime,nor will they admit they are taking jobs Americans WILL do!!!

Originally Posted by AmericanTreeFarmer

In this thread there is one post which is an exhibition of anti ethnic bias and a second which is a truthful statement from a legal immigrant Latina. Illegal aliens are not law abiding residents nor are they citizens.

So the damned truth hurts. I grew up around em back in the 70's and 80's and they are worse today.

"But he has to know that for us, things are not okay. Our families are being divided. We are scared. And a lot of times we are victims of crime or witnesses and we don't have the trust to report that.''

Well yeah, you break the law by coming here illegally you should know you could get caught and deported. If their families are being divided it is their own fault.