Thread: CA: Street Vendors Warned of Sweeps in Van Nuys

Street Vendors Warned of Sweeps in Van Nuys
Written by Alex Garcia, Sun Contributing Writer
Thursday, 24 February 2011 05:39

One Female Vendor Faces Deportation Following Arrest

Antonio Bernabe of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA) showed up early morning last week at an ice cream depot in North Hollywood to speak with vendors. It's a location where push cart street vendors buy their merchandise for resale.

Bernabe came with a warning for them about recent sweeps at locations where street vendors frequent.

"This way of earning a living has become very risky because of police sweeps and new programs in the County and the municipality,"

Bernabe . "People need to know to protect themselves. Earning a living this way can end up in deportation."

Bernabe and others who work at immigrant rights organizations take issue with police acting in the capacity of immigration officials.

They maintain that the Los Angeles Police Department officers in Van Nuys and other areas may be targeting those who they suspect may be undocumented.

Bernabe said that while the LAPD must abide by Special Order 40, which prevents officers from inquiring about a person's immigration status, once they are apprehended and transported for booking at county jails run by the Los Angeles County Sheriff they are required to divulge their immigration status.

"When you're being processed for booking, you have to include your [place of] origin and your social security number," Bernabe said.

Under an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), those found to be in the country illegally are referred to immigration authorities. Blanca Perez knows this first hand.

She was arrested Feb. 7 for selling ice cream outside Van Nuys Elementary School.

The City of Los Angeles Municipal Code prohibits vendors from selling items within 500 feet of the nearest property line of any school.

Sgt. Ray Puettmann of the Van Nuys Station said he was not aware of any organized operations of street vendors, but acknowledged that one of their lead officers is enforcing this ordinance because of complaints from neighbors and school officials.

"It is against the law to sell around the schools," he noted.

Perez said she knew this, but as with other ice cream vendors interviewed, she also said that the area around schools present the biggest selling areas.

"That's where we can sell a little bit more because of the children," she said.

Perez was detained with two other people who were selling hotdogs and corn. She said the hotdog vendor has already been deported, while the corn vendor was released on bail.

After being held at the Van Nuys jail, Perez was sent to the Women's Detention Center in Lynwood where she told authorities she was in the country illegally and was referred to the Immigration Detention Center in Santa Ana.

Authorities let her go after she pleaded with them on behalf of her 10-month-old son, whom she had left with a babysitter. She's now provisionally freed, but must wear an electronic monitor on her ankle, which, she said, embarrasses her.

"I didn't commit any crime to be having to wear this," she said. She is currently awaiting an immigration court date and ponders her future. Perez came to the United States from Mexico with high hopes for a better future.

Walking Many Miles Each Day for Little Money

The Perez arrest worries fellow ice cream vendors."I do feel fearful, but this is the way we make a living," said Felipe Olmedo, an ice cream vendor who on any given day walks some 20 miles through the areas of North Hollywood, Pacoima, San Fernando and Sylmar.

He said profits amount to some $30 or $40 at the end of the day and most of it comes from school areas.

"You sell very little during the day because children are in school. We go to schools to try to make some sales," he said. He added he's never been given a ticket or citation, but has been warned by authorities on several occasions.

"They've stopped me, but they only warn me. If I'm close to a school and they tell me to move, I do it to not get in trouble," said Olmedo, who's been selling ice cream for the past two years. "Sometimes if we're on the other side of the street from a school, they don't tell us anything."

Maria Barranca, another ice cream vendor, also says she's concerned she might end up like Perez.

"I think it's unfair," she said. "We're not doing anything bad. We're just selling ice cream."

CHIRLA's Campaign

Bernabe said CHIRLA started a new campaign called, "Don't Let Your Dreams Melt" because many ice cream and street vendors are unaware of their rights and vending restrictions in the City.

"They [street vendors] don't know they can't sell within 500 feet of schools or that selling on the sidewalks is prohibited in the City of Los Angeles. That's why we're here," he explained as he passed out flyers to ice cream vendors. Bernabe said he would be visiting other ice cream depots to inform vendors about the restrictions and consequences.

The flyers, in English and Spanish, are basically a guide on what to do if they are stopped by police, and letting them know of their rights and responsibilities.

It also includes CHIRLA's phone number and a "Rights Card" the street vendors can cut out of the flyer and give to officers in case they are arrested.

That card lets the officer know that the person will remain silent and refuse to answer questions without a lawyer present.

Francisco Hernandez, another ice cream vendor, said he was glad to get those flyers.

"It's very difficult when you don't know your rights because you don't know how to defend yourself from the police, you don't know what to tell them," he said.

www.sanfernandosun.com

Quote..Authorities let her go after she pleaded with them on behalf of her 10-month-old son, whom she had left with a babysitter. She's now provisionally freed, but must wear an electronic monitor on her ankle, which, she said, embarrasses her.

"I didn't commit any crime to be having to wear this," she said. She is currently awaiting an immigration court date and ponders her future. Perez came to the United States from Mexico with high hopes for a better future.

Like hell you didn't commit a crime. You are here illegally.

when did having a ten month old child become a get out of jail free card ?

why did anyone even feel sorry for her and let her out provisionally ... that jackpot baby of hers is costing us money ....

Sgt. Ray Puettmann of the Van Nuys Station ...acknowledged that one of their lead officers is enforcing this ordinance because of complaints from neighbors and school officials.

"It is against the law to sell around the schools," he noted.

Perez said she knew this, ...must wear an electronic monitor on her ankle, which, she said, embarrasses her. "I didn't commit any crime to be having to wear this," she said.

Knew it is against the law... but didn't commit any crime.. shouldn't have to wear this ankle bracelet.

There's that mentality of illegals again - we don't care if it's against the law, we are going to do it anyway and then we are going to cry when we are caught.... Ugh... I think maybe they'd be able to comprehend Against The Law and Consequences better if they had a lobotomy cause they sure can register that fact now... I hope that bracelet embarrasses the hell out of her.

After being held at the Van Nuys jail, Perez was sent to the Women's Detention Center in Lynwood where she told authorities she was in the country illegally and was referred to the Immigration Detention Center in Santa Ana.

Authorities let her go after she pleaded with them on behalf of her 10-month-old son, whom she had left with a babysitter. She's now provisionally freed, but must wear an electronic monitor on her ankle, which, she said, embarrasses her.

And they wonder why we call them ANCHOR BABIES! Take your anchor and get the hell out of our country! Why cannot we deport these people as soon as they are arrested and booked? There should be no release and a day in court. You're here legally or you're not!

If you're illegal, you will be processed and deported within 72 hours. You will be allowed to make as many phone calls as needed to get your affairs in order, but you're going home once caught!

"People need to know to protect themselves. Earning a living this way can end up in deportation

One can only hope this is the case, although I have a hard time believing here in sanctuary city LA, they are actually picking these people up. I just don't buy it. Our la raza mayor and police chief would have a fit if they knew this was going on against their beloved illegal invaders!

Pics from the source link:


Blanca Perez shows the ankle monitor she now wears after ending up at an immigration detention center in Santa Ana. She was arrested on Feb. 7 for selling ice cream around Van Nuys Elementary School. An ordinance in the city of Los Angeles prohibits vendors from selling their products within 500 feet of any school.


Antonio Bernabe of CHIRLA talks with Maria Barranca, an ice cream vendor, about the police sweeps in Van Nuys targeting these and other street vendors.

If they are illegal then deport them. None of this pity crap. Pack the brat and mom up and put them on a bus for the border. If anyone is found onthe street and is undocumented they need to be shipped out the next day. No bail, no ankle jewelry, deport them NOW. Stop with the bleedingheart act already and start enforcing the law as it was intended, to keep illegals out of the country.

Dont you have to have a license or a permit of some kind to be a vendor? How did they get one if they are illegal?

Originally Posted by pattyk

Dont you have to have a license or a permit of some kind to be a vendor? How did they get one if they are illegal?

Yes... you do need a permit I believe. But of course it really doesn’t matter because illegal invaders have no time for formalities such as the law. They do as they damn well please and if we don’t like it or find it objectionable, then we're called "racists!"

If they do decide to actually follow the law and get a permit, I doubt the city asks about their immigration status before issuing one. If they do need to be legal, they just have some anchor baby apply on their behalf.

No problema!

i was just wondering cause there was a street party in my town and a woman was selling ice cream. She got shut down right away because of health reasons they said. So I guess illegals dont have to follow health codes either.