Thread: TX: Group finds police aiding the arrest of immigrants

Group finds police aiding the arrest of immigrants
By Louie Gilot / El Paso Times
Article Launched: 12/11/2007 12:00:00 AM MST


In their annual civil rights report, immigrants' rights activists found that local police acting as immigration agents continued to be a problem for immigrants living in El Paso County in 2007.
The report, by the Border Network for Human Rights, collected 58 complaints, including 36 against local police officers and sheriff's deputies.

One of the cases was reported by Gabriella Castañeda of the far East El Paso neighborhood of Aguadulce. Castañeda said her husband, a brother and a friend, all undocumented immigrants, were stopped for speeding on their way to work at a construction site about two weeks ago.

"The sheriff's deputy asked for their driver's license and then for their Social Security number and because they didn't have any, he called the Border Patrol and they took them away," she said.

Border Network officials said that such practices divert resources from crime fighting and make crime victims and witnesses distrustful of the police. Immigration enforcement is the responsibility of federal agencies, but local agencies can legally refer cases to the Border Patrol.

Border Network executive director Fernando Garcia said he was disappointed by his findings.

"It surprises us that despite some promises that were made, they (local law enforcement) continue with activities that don't have anything to do with the local police powers," he said.

A third of the local cases of police allegedly acting as immigration agents have to do with the Otero County Sheriff's Department.

The department was participating in a federally funded border enforcement program this year that led to two lawsuits alleging civil rights violations of immigrants. The Border Network is a plaintiff in one suit.
Other cases in the Border Network report, however, are less well documented.

In one case, a 92-year-old woman said that El Paso firefighters came to her Central El Paso house to help her with some flooding and ended up asking her for her Social Security card.

But Mike Calderazzo, division chief at the Fire Department, looked into the allegation and said the firefighters involved never asked the woman anything.

"There's a misunderstanding. She misunderstood," Calderazzo said. "In some cases we ask Social Security numbers for the insurance or Medicaid or Medicare but we are not permitted to divulge that information. What we don't want to happen is people thinking that if they call the Fire Department they will be interrogated."

The Border Network collected the testimony through volunteers who often live in the communities they cover.

Border Network officials and Border Patrol officials will have joint community forums next year to discuss the complaint process and "other issues of mutual concern," said Border Patrol spokesman Doug Mosier.

www.elpasotimes.com

"It surprises us that despite some promises that were made, they (local law enforcement) continue with activities that don't have anything to do with the local police powers," he said.


I am lost - I thought driving without a license was a local police matter.

I smell set ups on this. I bet the pro-illegal, OBL are putting people up to these allegations.

I smell set ups on this. I bet the pro-illegal, OBL are putting people up to these allegations

Without a doubt - and our very own government may be helping in this also. They are not above that. It's something they have used before.

I am so sick of hearing these gripes about police officers. It's insane....totally insane. These people are griping that they got CAUGHT by someone who TECHNICALLY doesn't have the authority. THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO ENFORCE THE LAW! There is never any question about arresting bank robbers. You ever hear a bank robber complaining that they didn't have the power to arrest him???? Bank robbery is a federal issue. It needs to be made clear that LAW ENFORCEMENT means just exactly what it says......they ENFORCE the law. So shut up!

One of the cases was reported by Gabriella Castañeda of the far East El Paso neighborhood of Aguadulce. Castañeda said her husband, a brother and a friend, all undocumented immigrants, were stopped for speeding on their way to work at a construction site about two weeks ago.

"The sheriff's deputy asked for their driver's license and then for their Social Security number and because they didn't have any, he called the Border Patrol and they took them away," she said.

Border Network officials said that such practices divert resources from crime fighting and make crime victims and witnesses distrustful of the police.

Since when has removing a speeding, unlicensed driver from the highways and deporting illegal immigrants from this country not crime fighting?

If illegal immigrants or other criminals were friendly with police, I would suspect the police of being bribed to look the other way.

Illegals believe their illegal status places them above ALL laws and is a cause for immuniity from being responsible for obeying any law.

Articles such as this are part of Mexican President Felipe Calderon's media campaign to make citizens feel sorry for illegal immigrants. Expect more press like this containing illogical justifications.

"We enforce our laws, and we defend law-abiding citizens. And we reserve the benefits of citizenship for legal residents."
Matt Blunt Governor of Missouri