Sheriff Heralds 287g Program

Sheriff heralds 287(g) program, says gang activity down

By Tomas Murawski
Staff Writer - Alamance News
December 6, 2007

County officials are heralding the success of a program that trains sheriff’s deputies to arrest and process illegal immigrants under federal supervision.

The sheriff and others familiar with this program, which is known as Section 287 (g), insist that it has reduced some violent crimes by as much as 50 percent, and the sheriff credits it with a decrease in gang activity within unincorporated parts of the county.

But the members of one local group are emphatic that the county isn’t doing enough to crack down on illegal immigrants, and they insist that they have the documentation to show what the county has missed in its zeal to deal with immigrants who are suspected of other crimes.

Earlier this week, members of NC Voice, a grassroots group that formed over the summer, approached the county commissioners to inform them about what they say is a pervasive problem with illegal businesses that cater to immigrants, and especially those of Hispanic descent.

“There is a broad spectrum of violations here,â€

It has always made me wonder how these businesses get their licenses. Of course, they can get legal family members or friends to get them, or they can use fake ID, but I have wondered.

There are so many ways, so many ways, this problem can be addressed - that are not be utililized.

nntrixie wrote:

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There are so many ways, so many ways, this problem can be addressed - that are not be utililized.

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:idea: :idea: :idea: Exactly! I particularily intended to express just that by publishing this story! :idea: :idea: :idea:

Too often folks resign themselves to the belief that they can do nothing other than send letters, faxes, or phone calls in the direction of the politicians. It just ain't so!

If we limit ourselves to that course of action and anticipate making a difference through vengenance at the ballot box, we are just going along with government's plan. Election cycles being what they are, it will be too late to take back our nation by the time we identify and root out all the corruption that got us in this mess.

Get proactive folks...There are too many people who are still asleep on this issue and need enlightening. That enlightenment won't happen if the only noise you make is expressing your discontent to a bunch of snotty Congressional staffers who are part of the problem. Bring the responsibility home to the officials whom you elected to represent you, and compel them through weight of numbers to do their job or go down in history as lazy bums or crooks!

Trixie, one of our group asked a government employee why they were not identifying these businesses and closing them down or fining them for violations, and he was told that the only way they (the government office) have of tracking these people and identifying them is by looking up the business in the phone book. So long as they don't appear there, then to local government's knowledge they don't exist. So much for education and technology playing a role in government! Now you know why so many illegals have only a cell phone!

he was told that the only way they (the government office) have of tracking these people and identifying them is by looking up the business in the phone book.

I don't know if I can swallow that one. I don't know about counties, but they can physically check to see if a business is following health and zoning rules. They could simply canvas one area at a time and check out each business - they don't need to single out any particular group.

Also, cities here can find out if a business is collecting and paying in Sales Tax. In AZ, I had to get a state sales tax permit and a city sales tax permit.

In Texas, the sales tax people can come by your location at any time and check your sales tax permit - in fact, it is strongly suggested that you have it on display at all times.

Perhaps the city or county could simply enter the business and if no sales tax permit is on display, have what ever entity is responsible to check it out.

There is a mercado in a small town I know that painted over it's handicapped parking space - little things like that.


How about utilities?

I'm sure some would consider it harrassment, but if it is done across the board equally - then I don't see they have leg to stand on. If any business has to obey the law - all businesses should. To allow any to flaunt the law is unfair and just plain wrong.

I just think there are tons of ways to do this -

Trixie, we both know the explanation from the official was bogus, but this is the premise upon which they apparently operate. Also, walking into a storefront and verifying conformity to licensing requirements is a relatively simple task as you indicated. The rub arises when you address businesses who have no storefront or clear base of operations, such as is prevelant in for instance the construction industry, landscaping, or housekeeping.

There are of course, simple common-sense checks and balances which could be (and should already be) implemented to eliminate fraud and corruption. What concerns me is that it requires citizen activism to identify and initiate these changes. Isn't that what we elect these people to do in the first place?

True enough, our elected officials cannot be responsible for every little detail pertaining to the day-to-day operation of local government, but when issues arise swift and decisive action is required to assign responsibility, and appropriate follow-up is essential to see that the job gets done! That standard applies to any successful business, and it darned well applies to successful government too!