Tempers flare at immigration forum

[controlledImmigration]

Published: September 13, 2007 11:41 pm
The Daily Citizen

Tempers flare at immigration forum
By Eric Beavers
Dalton Daily Citizen

Emotions were raw as people vented their frustration at the perceived impotence of law enforcement during a forum about immigration Thursday night.

The forum at City Hall was led by Dalton Police Chief James Chadwick and Steve Peluso, resident agent in charge of the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Dalton.

Chadwick and Peluso talked about the way they work together as part of the Conasauga Safe Streets Task Force.

[b]Many in the crowd grew angry when Peluso talked about ICE policy regarding the arrest of immigrants simply for being in the country illegally — for example, if they are working at one of the local industries.

“It’s not happening and it’s not going to happen,â€

[Rawhide]

It sounds like these cops are passing the buck.
Yes everyone should call Congress and keep on them until they enforce the laws but these cops have an obligation too.

[AirborneSapper7]

ICE and the Local Law Officers are feeding these people a big slice of SHI_ and hope the people swallow... go after thier jobs folks, your on the right track.

[azwreath]

What Peluso had to say sounded just like what that Border Patrol Chief said in Laredo and we all knowwhat came crashing down on his head when his superiorswere notified of it.

I think we should make sure that Peluso's remarks are brought to the attention of his superiors because I don't buy what he said for a second.

I'm also sick and tired of hearing about how immigration law isn't cut and dry. The hell it isn't.......if you came here illegally, you have no reason or right to be here and you're sent back. What they need to do is expedite the process, stop listening to their excuses and sob stories, stop allowing the endless appeals, and keep them in detention as flight risks whether or not the endless appeals are brought to a halt. If nothing else, you'd see the appeals drop way off because they know they aren't going to be turned lose to go on their merry ways while they drag out a case indefinitely.

If someone is picked up, they should have an arraignment and get one hearing where they get to argue their case for staying. Granted, there may be extenuating circumstances which require more and we wouldn't want to deny due process to, say, someone who's life might legitimately be in danger if sent home. But, since those are the rare cases, due process for the majority of cases should require only one hearing and no more.

[Nouveauxpoor]

We visited Dalton a couple of months ago and I am so glad to learn that they are putting up some resistance. The facade of the whole area is changing. In nearby Duluth there were many signs in Spanish only and in Korean only, even though it is my understanding that Gwinnett County has an ordinance against it. (I have not independently verified that.) It is surreal to drive down a street with white-columned front porches and magnolia trees and in the next block find the barrio. Usually the historical preservations groups are fierce in their protection of the character of the old cities. I hope they are in the middle of this.

Dalton has many carpet mills and I'm sure that is the draw for the illegals.

[GRITS]

Gwinnett does have an ordinance for the signs, they have to be in English as well.. The county does little to enforce the sign ordinance tho.

Gwinnett used to be a nice place to live, no longer... I am glad I am gone from there.

Dalton is a real mess from what I have been hearing. Lots of gang activities, crime, etc.. I don't care how cheap carpet is... (if) they have illegals in the plants.. I ain't buying it!

There are people that have been quiet about the illegal issues for a long time hoping that that officials in local gov't, federal gov't would do their jobs, since they are not doing their jobs people are getting mad and this is just the tip of the iceburg......

[Nouveauxpoor]

There are people that have been quiet about the illegal issues for a long time hoping that that officials in local gov't, federal gov't would do their jobs, since they are not doing their jobs people are getting mad and this is just the tip of the iceburg......

I know that I am guilty of that complacency. It wasn't in my neighborhood and I just simply didn't know the width and breadth of the problem. It was only upon a visit to Salt Lake City that I began to realize that it was a pandemic.

Awareness should become one of our top goals. I have written before that our local newspaper, with a circulation of about 55,000, prints very little about it. They have a discussion board and I have tried a dozen times to start a discussion, but the thread dies after only several responses. I have also written letters to the newspaper and asked them to pick up some of the AP stories. They did so for several weeks and then stopped. Ideas anyone?

[MW]

azwreath wrote:

I'm also sick and tired of hearing about how immigration law isn't cut and dry. The hell it isn't.......if you came here illegally, you have no reason or right to be here and you're sent back.

Amen to that!

[BorderFox]

It sounds like these cops are passing the buck.
Yes everyone should call Congress and keep on them until they enforce the laws but these cops have an obligation too.

that is what is happening here. Our town put on a workshop for immigrants called "know your rights". It was all about their rights to benefits and no kidding how to avoid law enforcement. Our chief of police was there. He backed up everything this woman said. When I talked to the same police chief a couple years ago about the situation, he told me "you have a very narrow view of the law", when I asked why the laws don't apply to illegals.

[butterbean]

[quote]
Many in the crowd grew angry when Peluso talked about ICE policy regarding the arrest of immigrants simply for being in the country illegally — for example, if they are working at one of the local industries.

“It’s not happening and it’s not going to happen,â€