Thread: U.S. backs Morristown's immigration plan

www.northjersey.com

U.S. backs Morristown's immigration plan

Saturday, March 31, 2007

By ELIZABETH LLORENTE
STAFF WRITER

U.S. Border Patrol Chief David V. Aguilar said Friday that Morristown's plan to have its police officers take action against immigration violations would add a valuable layer to the nation's efforts to crack down on illegal immigration.

Deputizing local police officers as immigration agents "provides more sets of eyes and ears" in the effort to track down and arrest illegal immigrants, Aguilar said.

Aguilar commented on the controversial plan after he finished testifying at a House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration hearing at Ellis Island.

Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello called Aguilar's comments "very encouraging."

Cresitello applied to the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to receive training that would allow Morristown's officers to check the immigration status of residents and lay the groundwork for deportation. Morristown has not yet heard from ICE about whether it has been admitted into a program that is open to local, county and state agencies.

"I would think he would be looking for help," Cresitello said of Aguilar's support.

But Amy Gottlieb of American Friends Service Committee said: "Using local police is misguided and will result in profiling and distrust between the police and the immigrant community."

At the hearing, Aguilar said the federal government could reduce the flow of non-criminals crossing the border by adopting a policy that acknowledges their pursuit of jobs and the nation's demand for their labor. He said those immigrants account for about 90 percent of the people the Border Patrol arrests each year.

E-mail: llorente@northjersey.com

He said those immigrants account for about 90 percent of the people the Border Patrol arrests each year.

WHY are they arresting immigrants???? They are supposed to be only arresting illegal aliens. Somebody should check this out. Maybe the immigrants violated some law. I dunno.

Those poor immigrants!

Oh gofer, that's a riot!

Dixie

But Amy Gottlieb of American Friends Service Committee said: "Using local police is misguided and will result in profiling and distrust between the police and the immigrant community."

Oh, Boo Hoo, Boo Hoo. Yeah right. Go stick your head back in the sand.

All illegals criminals and non-criminals need to be deported. They need to be caught before they can have any children.

I'm soo glad this Mayor is from Jersey!!

ALL individuals that 'ignore' the immigration laws of a nation are criminals. even if they don't rob a bank after they break into our country they are still criminals. illegal means they are illegal.