This is very close to home and has a comment section.

These lowlifes passing themselves of as police clearly aided and abetted at another meeting a while back. They gave them a test. He said anyone here illegally raise your hand. Many did and then he said, "Those of you that raised your hand failed. Never tell anyone you are here illegally".

(Comment Section Alert!)

http://www.insidebayarea.com/sanmate...ews/ci_6437537

Sheriff won't aid ICE raids
Immigrants cheer local officials' promise of hands-off approach
By Suzanne Bohan and Michael Manekin, STAFF WRITERS
Article Last Updated: 07/22/2007 02:50:50 AM PDT

REDWOOD CITY — For some of the 400 people gathered at the First United Methodist Church Saturday afternoon, showing up was an act of courage.

In attendance at the event was San Mateo County Sheriff Greg Munks. Sitting next to him on stage was Redwood City Mayor Barbara Pierce.

These two had unnerving powers to upend the lives of many in the room, most of whom were dark-skinned and spoke limited English. Most were raised in places like Mexico or Guatemala.

And such a crowd of immigrants can attract unwanted attention, said Sylvia Ramirez, a community educator with Peninsula Interfaith Action, a coalition of religious activists committed to speaking out against national immigration policy. The group organized the Saturday community meeting. Also in attendance was East Palo Alto Councilman Ruben Abrica.

With the failure in Congress in late June to pass immigrationreform, many in the room feared that federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will invariably return to the county to oust more undocumented residents.

That can make attending large gatherings a nerve-wracking business, Ramirez said. "Some, they won't come to meetings, because they think the ICE police might show up."

On June 28, the U.S. Senate blocked passage of a comprehensive immigration reform bill that, among other provisions, would have provided a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants.

"This failure in Congress is a failure across the board," said
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Father John Balleza, pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Redwood City, who attended Saturday's meeting.

"We're sure there is fear, because my Mass attendance is way down," said Balleza. The free dining room at St. Anthony's Padua Dining Room in Menlo Park has fewer visitors, he added. Balleza also has a hunch that children of undocumented immigrants will be more reluctant to attend school when it resumes at the end of summer, for fear their parents won't be at home when they return.

But no immigration agents entered the gathering, and attendees fanned themselves in the warm room as they listened to testimonials of those who were detained in the ICE raids in the region over the past year, as well as speeches from local officials.

The crowd broke into applause after both Munks and Pierce spoke. Both local leaders provided the assurances the crowd was anxious to hear: They would leave illegal immigration concerns to the federal government, and concentrate on building a safe community for all residents, regardless of immigration status.

The only way the Sheriffs Office can protect citizens, Munks emphasized, is by establishing a trusting relationship with all community members.

"A lot of the trust we built up was damaged with the ICE raids," he acknowledged. "I want you to know that our department will not cooperate with those ICE raids," Munks added, as the crowd called out and clapped.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement, through its "Operation Return to Sender" campaign, has arrested hundreds of illegal individuals throughout the Bay Area during the past year, including about a half-dozen in Redwood City.

Rosaura Lopez, 35, was one of those detained by immigration raids. On Feb. 1, she said, immigration officials arrested her at her home in Redwood City while her two sons, age 9 and 5, were in school. She hastily arranged child care for them with a friend, and was held in the Sacramento County Jail for 13 days.

"It was the worst day in my life, being separated from my family," Lopez said.

When her lawyer pointed out that she had paid to renew her work certificate, but the federal immigration agency failed to process it in time, she was released, Lopez said.

"They said it was an error," she said. She has since received a renewed work permit and is awaiting her green card, Lopez said. She was a student at Canada College, studying to be a social worker, but has returned to working full time as a schoolyard attendant to pay her legal bills.

Ramirez, with the Peninsula Interfaith Action, claims that ICE raids have targeted undocumented immigrants indiscriminately, following parents as they walk home from school, casing out areas where day laborers gather and fishing for illegals outside of neighborhood grocery stores.

However, ICE spokeswoman Lori Haley vigorously denies such allegations, claiming that the agency's "Operation Return to Sender" only targets specific individuals who have committed criminal acts within the country.

"On the other hand," Haley added, "ICE agents are sworn to uphold the law, and if people are in the country illegally, they are subject to arrest."

While some Bay Area cities — including San Francisco, Oakland, Richmond and East Palo Alto — have passed non-binding resolutions opposing the nationwide ICE enforcement, the majority have kept mum on the issue.

Local advocates for undocumented immigrants have yet to formally petition the Sheriffs Office, but in April the Redwood City Immigrant Rights Coalition drafted a resolution discouraging cooperation with ICE and encouraged the city to adopt it.

A written resolution is what's needed, said Balleza, pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

"It's very encouraging," he said of Munks' assurances to the crowd on Saturday. "But what we need is something in writing."

Contact Michael Manekin at mmanekin@angnewspapers.com and Suzanne Bohan at sbohan@angnewspapers.com.