Thread: FL: Activists fear new system will silence crime victims

Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2008
Activists fear new system will silence crime victims
By MAURA POSSLEY

BRADENTON --Immigration activists say a program to identify illegal immigrants passing through county jail will go beyond that, casting a shadow of fear over the immigrant community, increasing crime and alienating a population.

Members of the Latino Community Network, Sarasota/Manatee Farmworker Supporters and other groups met Friday and decided to voice their concerns to Manatee County Sheriff Brad Steube, who sought out the program with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

They want details from Steube, and they want him to know they believe the move has much broader implications on the Hispanic community.

"Why don't we use our voice and our votes on those who make the decisions?" said Luz Corcuera, network member and activist. "This is a time when we need to step up."

Immigrants will go into hiding and refuse to report crime over fear they will be asked to prove their legal status, she and other activists said during the network's monthly meeting.

That in turn will create a "field day" for criminals capitalizing on that fear, said John DuBrule, litigation director for Gulf Coast Legal Services, which in part serves the immigrant population.

Further, activists said it would foster racial profiling in a time when the immigration issue has created racial division in the community.

"It's a very big risk," DuBrule said.

Steube said Friday he would be happy to meet with the group to explain the program in detail. He has said its implementation expedites the booking process and removes violent criminals from the community.

"If that is the perception, then that's something that they're putting out," Steube said over concerns the immigrant community will head underground. "We're not going into the neighborhoods, we're not going into employers looking for illegal aliens. The program is only designed for us to find out who is an illegal alien once they are in jail."

Steube said because the program revolves around checking the status of arrestees entering the jail, it could not foster racial profiling.

"The bottom line is, I don't believe they should be fearful of anything concerned with this," he said. "At this point, in my opinion, they have nothing to fear."

http://www.bradenton.com/local/story/764478.html

That's a real shame, you know. But who's worried about the non-hispanic communities who are ALREADY afraid to report crimes committed by illegal alien criminals? Some are just fed up -- knowing that nothing will be done anyway, at the very least, deportation is unlikely and mostly useless with our indestructible border fence.

SO WHAT? AMERICANS HAVE REPORTED CRIMES AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. THE GOVERNMENT AND MEDIA DO NOT CARE ABOUT WHAT AMERICANS HAVE AND ARE GOING THROUGH.

"Why don't we use our voice and our votes on those who make the decisions?" said Luz Corcuera, network member and activist. "This is a time when we need to step up."

Illegals can't vote in FL . But then again in FL we don't know how to vote.Just ask Dubya . A sitting president never voted in to office . Hmm maybe Minute Men need to be outside every polling station .
If Your Illegal , just go back to Mexico or where ever . NP from me except you can pay me back for Services used .

Originally Posted by tencz57

"Why don't we use our voice and our votes on those who make the decisions?" said Luz Corcuera, network member and activist. "This is a time when we need to step up."

Illegals can't vote in FL . But then again in FL we don't know how to vote.Just ask Dubya . A sitting president never voted in to office . Hmm maybe Minute Men need to be outside every polling station .
If Your Illegal , just go back to Mexico or where ever . NP from me except you can pay me back for Services used .

I was just going to quote that line too!

The Bologna and Shaw families...we must have something in place to get these criminal aliens out of here. Articles like this drive me insane.