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Weld DA will still seek new immigration office

By Deborah Frazier, Rocky Mountain News
November 22, 2005
GREELEY - District Attorney Ken Buck said Monday that he will continue to seek a federal immigration office for Weld County but that he would work with the Hispanic community to prove that the problem is criminal activity, not undocumented workers.

"To me, it is an issue of making our community safer for everyone, regardless of race, creed or color," Buck told Greeley's Human Relations Commission after more than a dozen people spoke against opening an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in town.

Buck won support from the county commissioners and Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo., for the ICE office. The City Council has declined to back Buck's efforts, and 600 people packed the council meeting last week to oppose Buck's request for support from the city.

"It is unfortunate that the issues of public safety and immigration have become confused," said Buck, who promised to revise his resolution to reflect Hispanics' concerns.

College professors, dairy workers, mothers with children, and construction workers said that only a small percentage of the crimes committed in Weld County, population 80,000, involved illegal immigrants.

They spoke of the county's 24,000 legal Hispanic residents who pay taxes and don't commit crimes but who could be caught in ICE sweeps.

"My husband works from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. as a roofer. We are here to give our children a better future," said Angelina Leos.

A few people spoke for the ICE office, saying that illegal immigrants take jobs, can't pay for hospital care, fill the schools with children who don't speak English and clog the jail and the court system.

"I can't go into a Wal-Mart without seeing gang graffiti and 'brown pride' on the wall," said Gabriel Long, a welder.

"Brown pride? That is not a gang term unless I am a gang," countered Robert Cordova, who identified himself as a military veteran whose son graduated from West Point.

Jessica Arras said that she and her six sisters were born in the U.S. and that she served two years in the military in Iraq.

"I call this place my country," she said. "I've done volunteer work in the jail. I see just as many African Americans and Anglos as Latinos."

George Metcalf, owner of a car dealership, had endorsed Buck's plan, but rescinded his support Monday because he found newspaper stories that showed that ICE agents aren't limited to pursuing criminals.