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  1. #1
    Senior Member zeezil's Avatar
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    Tuscon's Police Department immigrant policy ignites protest

    TPD's immigrant policy ignites protest
    By Dale Quinn and Brady McCombs
    Arizona Daily Star
    Tucson, Arizona | Published: 11.10.2007


    Nearly 100 people gathered at Tucson police headquarters Friday to protest the department's recent announcement that it would no longer call immigration officials to schools or churches.

    The protesters, holding American flags and signs that read "Enforce our laws" and "Zero tolerance for illegals," walked to police headquarters at 270 S. Stone Ave. from Armory Park in an effort to change the policy.
    Assistant Police Chief Roberto Villaseñor went outside shortly after 10 a.m., thanked the crowd for their civic participation and told them the department would take the petition into consideration. But he said the department wouldn't change its policy.

    "Our main mission is not enforcement of immigration laws, our main mission is public safety," he said. "There's federal agencies that are tasked with that."

    Villaseñor emphasized that officers will continue to enforce the laws they're responsible for enforcing.

    "That doesn't mean that if an officer comes across a criminal activity at a school that they don't take enforcement action," Villaseñor said. "They will take enforcement action. There's nothing to prohibit them from taking that juvenile off school grounds to Juvenile Court Center and contacting Border Patrol to respond there. We've not taken away that right."
    Villaseñor had said on Tuesday that police would no longer call immigration officials to schools or churches.

    The announcement followed a walkout by about 100 Catalina High Magnet School students who left school and marched Downtown to protest the deportation of a student and his family.

    The department has officially modified its policy to include language that prohibits police officers from calling immigration officials to schools or churches.

    The student was deported after school officials found a small amount of marijuana in his backpack and notified police. The officer who responded found out the boy and his family were in the country illegally, and Border Patrol agents were called to the school.

    Those in the crowd Friday said the student protest and the change in policy prompted them to take action,.

    "I feel like they (the Police Department) caved in to a handful of kids that don't even vote," said Michael Lucero, a Tucson resident since 1988.
    Lucero said he was marching to protest "illegal aliens dictating our laws."
    "Every time they march, somebody changes a law, and it's about time that legal citizens stand up and have their voice heard," Lucero said. "The minute they step across the border they are breaking the law. We can't reward them for breaking our laws."

    One of the prominent messages from marchers was that churches and schools shouldn't be off limits to immigration authorities. Several held signs that read "Tucson Undocumented School District."

    "It doesn't matter where you find an illegal citizen," said Steffanie Cox of Tucson. "They should do their job, which is to call the Border Patrol and deport them."

    Joseph Sweeney, a Republican who is gearing up for his 13th run for Congress, said schools are already filled with illegal immigrant children and the modified policy will only make it worse. Sweeney has never won a run for office.

    "To think we are going to let every church and school become a sanctuary, that's outrageous," said Sweeney, who is best known for his rigid anti-immigration and anti-homosexual stances. "They should support the federal government in enforcing our immigration laws."

    The rally was organized and led by a radio disc jockey who goes by the name "Jon Justice" and hosts a morning show on 104.1 The Truth, a conservative talk radio station. He refused to give his real name.

    â—
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  2. #2
    Senior Member gofer's Avatar
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    A bunch of students march and they change the policy. Adult voting citizens scream, march, protest and they are ignored. What's wrong with these people?? Laws should be enforced wherever they are broken.

  3. #3
    Senior Member ourcountrynottheirs's Avatar
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    That's wrong. I wish I could've marched with them. A lot of us don't march and we should. Apparently, it gets things done for the illegals.
    avatar:*912 March in DC

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