Thread: Need comments Please

This paper in my local area has written similar articles in the past but this one you can comment on without making an account.Thats right no account needed Sheriff Jones is tough on illegal immigrants here in Butler County Ohio.

http://tinyurl.com/5ybqqv


Latest immigrant bills not needed
COMMENTS: Do you think local deputies should be enforcing federal immigration laws?
Sunday, June 08, 2008

Washington's continuing, unconscionable failure to deal with the illegal immigration issue has left local governments around the nation seeking ways to handle the problem on their own.

According to recent reports, various jurisdictions around the United States are scrambling to adopt new laws and to adopt new tactics dealing with the nation's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants because of increasing frustration over Washington's failure on a comprehensive policy a year ago.

In Ohio, ugly legislation is emerging from Butler and Hamilton counties that purports to deal with the immigration issue. One bill would allow county sheriffs to enforce federal immigration laws at the request of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. The other — a retread of similar, unsuccessful past efforts — would require Ohio government to do its business solely in English.

We think both are misguided at best and potentially dangerous at worst. They further codify the environment of intolerance, fear and hostility that has permeated Butler County in recent years.

Recently, the county's self-appointed immigration czar, Sheriff Richard Jones, and county Prosecutor Robin Piper coaxed state Sen. Gary Cates, R-West Chester Twp., to introduce Senate Bill 260, which would give Jones and his deputies the power to take action in what are now civil cases, mostly involving deportation of illegal immigrants, if asked to do so by ICE officials.

Under existing law, if county deputies suspect a person of being an illegal alien — which is a civil offense, not criminal — there is nothing they can do except notify ICE, according to Piper. They have no authority in civil immigration cases.

Cates' bill gives the same enforcement option (the authority but not the obligation to help ICE) to all county sheriffs in the state but, according to a statement from the Ohio General Assembly, "based on conversations with the Buckeye State Sheriffs Association, it seems likely that county sheriffs generally would not expend their limited resources (time, money and people) in rendering assistance to federal immigration officials in such matters on an ongoing basis." In other words, most Ohio sheriffs have better things to do and better ways to spend their limited resources than to harass members of their Hispanic communities.

Why, then, would Jones and Piper want to spend their time, money and people on federal cases of civil violations? Jones says he wants to do his part to stop illegal immigrants from straining the resources of Butler County, not only in terms of jobs and health care matters, but more directly in terms of crime, jail space and drug trafficking. Thanks, sheriff, but that's not what we elected you to do. Jones should be concerned about local crime, and leave immigration policy development to others.

Jones' push for federal law enforcement powers is just one more step in a cynical, pandering campaign to curry favor with his uneasy constituents — who have seen their community becoming more diverse — and to advance his own political career. Jones found the hot-button issue that resonated with frightened white voters a couple of years ago and he's pushed that button at every opportunity since.

Meanwhile, Piper says he supports SB 260 because "federal immigration authorities cannot reasonably be expected to provide all of the manpower and resources necessary to enforce immigration law in every county in every state."

We're sure that's true, but immigration laws are federal laws, not county laws. And we have to wonder — if Jones needs help with manpower and resources to fight local, not federal, crime, will ICE agents come riding over the hill? Not likely.

As reporter Josh Sweigart wrote last month, opponents of the bill — organizations such as the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Mexican American Defense and Education Fund, and the League of United Latin American Citizens — say it would distract deputies from enforcing the county's criminal laws (their real jobs), continue building the mistrust and fear of law enforcement officials in our immigrant communities, and likely lead to racial profiling by aggressive deputies.

Raquel Aldana, a board member of the Society of American Law Teachers, continues that line of reasoning by noting that "distrust of police keeps many immigrants from reporting crime ... This increases their vulnerability as victims. Moreover, the drain on limited resources from these additional responsibilities on local police takes away from their primary duties as community caretakers."

As it stands, SB 260 has received full Senate approval. It's now under consideration by the House. We urge House members to reject SB 260. If it does reach Gov. Strickland's desk, he should veto it.

And if it reaches his desk, Strickland also should veto the silly bill sponsored by Rep. Bob Mecklenborg, R-Cincinnati, which already has passed the House on a party-line vote. That bill would force the state to do its business in the English language. What could be more absurd? This is nothing more than anti-Hispanic/Latino chest-beating. It's been tried before and failed each time — probably because there's little chance that English will ever be supplanted here.

It's time to move past this immigration hysteria. Most of our Spanish-speaking neighbors are here legally, are not criminals and, in fact, many are learning our language without being forced to. But they should be able to obtain at least some information — health care brochures, for example — in their native language.

The bottom line is simple: Illegal immigration is a complicated social issue at the national level that should and must be handled by federal authorities, not by county sheriffs and their deputies. We all agree that the nation's immigration policies need to be fixed. But it doesn't need to be — and can't be — fixed by an ambitious county sheriff and an accommodating state senator.



Do you think local deputies should be enforcing federal immigration laws?

The bottom line is simple: Illegal immigration is a complicated social issue at the national level that should and must be handled by federal authorities, not by county sheriffs and their deputies. We all agree that the nation's immigration policies need to be fixed. But it doesn't need to be — and can't be — fixed by an ambitious county sheriff and an accommodating state senator.

Who made this rag "God ?". Very one sided opinion on immigration . And this rag is wrong on ever count . Illegal means illegal . It will give me pleasure to speak my piece and support the law enforcement and Senators trying to curtail the rising tide of law breakers .

This guys an idiot. And when an article starts with "the nation's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants" then the rest of the article is not worth reading.


Just another opinion.

The bottom line is simple: Illegal immigration is a complicated social issue at the national level that should and must be handled by federal authorities, not by county sheriffs and their deputies. We all agree that the nation's immigration policies need to be fixed. But it doesn't need to be — and can't be — fixed by an ambitious county sheriff and an accommodating state senator.



Oh, yes it can be changed by a willing sheriff and senator..ask Arizona..it's working very well. That's what they are afraid of!

Thanks....left a post,,,,

Im trying to post this

--

The sentiments of those that wrote this editorial are radically out of line with the views of average Americans. Zogby Poll from May 6, 2005 found that 81% of Americans want local police to enforce immigration laws!

Source
http://www.alipac.us/article395.html

Since then, numerous national and statewide polls have shown over 80% of Americans want states and local authorities to take enforcement action on illegal immigration.

It is time for Americans to stand up and take action.

www.alipac.us