Thread: Locals crack down on illegal immigration

Locals crack down on illegal immigration By MONICA RHOR, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 49 minutes ago



HOUSTON - Mayra Figueroa — a naturalized U.S. citizen, community organizer and licensed driver — had no reason to fear being arrested, no need to worry about deported.


Then she was pulled over by a Houston police officer, who told her he found it suspicious that a Latina was driving a late-model car. The first thing the officer requested? Figueroa's Social Security card, as proof of citizenship.

Until now, few local police and sheriff's departments wanted any part of enforcing federal civil immigration laws. They had their hands full with local crime — and needed witnesses and victims to work with them without fear.

But as local governments feel mounting frustration over illegal immigration, that hands-off attitude is disappearing. More than 100 local law enforcement agencies — including Los Angeles and Orange counties in California and Maricopa County in Arizona, which includes Phoenix — have begun or are waiting for training to help the Department of Homeland Security root out illegal immigrants and hand them over for deportation.

Advocates say the training beefs up the power of the overworked Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency. Detractors say it will discourage millions of immigrants from reporting crime or cooperating with police investigations. They also cite evidence of poor training and overeager cops, like the one who questioned Figueroa.

The ICE training program began 12 years ago in 1996, but had only one taker until 2002, when political pressure began to mount to fix the illegal immigration problem. Now 41 law enforcement agencies are trained, and 92 more are waiting in line.

Even in places where police departments have resisted enforcing immigration laws, elected officials and local governments have passed or are considering similar policies.

In Harris County, which includes Houston, sheriff's deputies routinely check the immigration status of anyone booked into the county jail.

In New Jersey, the Attorney General ordered police to ask arrested suspects about their immigration status. In Minnesota, Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed an executive order requiring state agents to enforce immigration law.

"When my deputies come across illegals, they arrest them — even on traffic violations," said Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. "People ask me why I am taking this on? The last I heard, crossing the border is an illegal activity. I took an oath of office to enforce the law, so I am enforcing the law."

But some experts say it could spell the end of cooperating with police in immigrant neighborhoods.

"People are very, very fearful of interaction with law enforcement, said Susan Shah, with the New York-based Vera Institute of Justice, a nonprofit. "Even people with legal status, whose families may have mixed immigration status, now have a fear of opening the door."

That fear has been exacerbated by accounts — some rumored, some real — of people being turned over to immigration officials after being stopped for minor offenses such as traffic violations and loitering, or after going to police to report a crime.

In Newark, N.J., a freelance photographer who stumbled upon on a dead body in an alley and reported the discovery to police was detained and asked about his immigration status.

In Falls Church, Va., staffers at the Tarirhu Justice Center, which works with immigrant victims of domestic abuse, say they are fielding calls from women who have been assaulted, yet refuse to go to police.

"When there's confusion about what policy applies to you and when it does, the safe course of action is to avoid authorities altogether," said Jeanne Smoot, the center's director of public policy.

In Durham, N.C., police recently investigated a string of robberies targeting Latino immigrants, who the thieves saw as "soft targets" because they'd be reluctant to call police.

Only after officials reassured local residents that they would not be reported to ICE did they get the information needed to solve the cases, said Durham Police Chief Jose Lopez.

"If people are not reporting crimes, we don't know what is happening out there. It puts all of the community at risk," said Lopez.

Even so, the Durham police department does check the immigration status of anyone arrested, and has since been approved for the federal training program.

Such confusing, sometimes contradictory, policies and programs are only heightening immigrants' fear and mistrust, say immigrant advocates and community activists.

Mayra Figueroa, the woman stopped in Houston, agrees.

"I have been living here for the last 17 years, and to have an officer stop me for no reason and ask for papers, it made me feel like he didn't think I belong here," said Figueroa. "It makes people feel that anytime that something happens to you, you can't call police."

More wailing and whining from illegal aliens and their facilitators, like the libidiot press.

I cannot believe this happened in Houston Must have been a rogue Alipacer on the force. Good Job and keep it up. If they get afraid in Houston, it will be a major battle won.
HERE IS YOUR ATTABOY HOUSTON POLICE OFFICER

Mayra Figueroa — a naturalized U.S. citizen, community organizer and licensed driver — had no reason to fear being arrested, no need to worry about deported.
Then she was pulled over by a Houston police officer, who told her he found it suspicious that a Latina was driving a late-model car. The first thing the officer requested? Figueroa's Social Security card, as proof of citizenship.

You know, I have to tell you. I'm not sure I believe everything this woman is saying. If it happened the way she is claiming then it's not right.

However, I have to believe there was a reason as to why she was pulled over other then driving a "late-model " automobile. In addition, this woman is a "community organizer." What does that mean, what is she organizing and what is here agenda?

If she decided to not answer any of the polices officers questions, as the pro-illegal invader groups have instructed illegals (even though she is not illegal herself) to do when pulled over, then the officer may have reason to believe she was hiding something which eventually brought up the issue of citizenship.

I don't know. All i'm saying is there appears to be more to this story than is being told. I just get that feeling, especially with a MSM that loves to present such stories with a certain bias. I guess i'm overly sceptical now when I read these type of stories.

If we didn't have such a huge illegal alien problem, there wouldn't be all these "witnesses" who don't dare come forward. And we wouldn't have such a big crime issue, either. Good for Houston. Maybe this will spread throughout the rest of the state.

But as local governments feel mounting frustration over illegal immigration, that hands-off attitude is disappearing.

If this is really true, it's long overdue. The govt won't be "hands off" with me if I ignore paying my exorbitant property taxes.

They can always contact the ACLU or a Mexican Consulate.

They ought to be fearful. They are breaking the laws and we have had enough.

They do not belong here.

Hey folks! I may be a bit off of the topic; however, I'm new to the boards and hope you'll help me out. My question to all of you is as follows: I live in a "Sanctuary" city and am contemplating relocating within the US. It’s horrible here! Our taxes have gone up exponentially to accommodate our over burdened infrastructure due to the influx of law breaking Illegals. As an example of ways that our tax dollars are being usurped, 1 out of 3 people in my city are on Medicaid and the vast majority of recipients are not even American citizens. Drugs and serious crime are soaring! And they have scribbled and written graphite in Spanish curse words and literally trashed areas that were once considered very nice. They have taken our jobs at record numbers, closed our hospitals, ruined our schools (students that were in outstanding classes were no longer able to continue so the schools could bring in Spanish tutors/teachers), etc. And the politicians that are supposed to be representing us are kissing the tail end of the likes of Calderon and the other NAU gangsters. It is pathetic. Note: One of the infamous kiss-up’s is running for president! But then she is in good company as All of the presidential candidates are pitiful and pathetic choices and don’t deserve to be in the most important position in our land. I’m sure the Mexican president and the other evil-doers will smile when the next president is elected because any way they look at this they win and the American people lose. Excuse my circular path. Digressing the atrocities, absurdities and dangerous realities of living in this city have escalated. Consequently, I have been examining various states in hopes of finding a location that is pro-American citizen. Perhaps, after relocating I’ll be in a better position to fight the Illegals invasion. Sadly, I have not found many hospitable locations. It’s actually a nightmare! I have been looking at Jackson Hole, Wyoming and parts of Montana because it seems that the politicians from those states have consistently been fighting to enforce the laws of our land and have consistently voted against amnesty legislature. I have not physically been in those states for many years and I know things change, and in the case of the Illegals invasion much of our country has been destroyed, so, I would really appreciate it if any of you with information or suggestions would come forward. While I welcome, all constructive responses, I’d really love to hear from people that live in Montana or Wyoming. Thank you in advance for the courtesy in responding to my request.

Was she actually pulled over? Did the police officer actually say that to her?
#1. No proof.

#2. This article is propaganda.