Posted on 11/25/2005 12:51:33 PM PST by DumpsterDiver
HAMILTON, Ohio - Far from the southwest U.S. borders with Mexico, states and counties are making their own stands against illegal immigration.
In southwest Ohio's Butler County, some leaders want state legislation that would make it a state crime of trespass to be here illegally and would allow local authorities to boot illegal aliens out of the state. The sheriff has challenged federal authorities by sending them a bill for undocumented immigrant inmates and erected large yellow signs outside the jail announcing: "Illegal Aliens Here."
In Arkansas, the Legislature wants police to get training in immigration enforcement. One county in Idaho has filed a federal racketeering suit against four companies accused of employing illegal immigrants.
Lawmakers in North Carolina are pushing to make it tougher for illegal aliens to get driver's licenses, and in Virginia, some politicians want to cut off all benefits for illegals.
An expert in immigration and civil rights law says the controversies reflect growing pains as members of the nation's largest immigrant group increasingly settle farther away from border states.
"We're seeing immigrants going to parts of the country that didn't traditionally have large Hispanic populations. That's bringing about reaction - some of it's favorable, some of it's not," said Kevin Johnson, a professor at the University of California-Davis.
"Many state and local governments and groups like the Minutemen (who have launched self-styled border patrols) are claiming the federal government is not enforcing the law."
That's the argument of the Butler County leaders, which include a county commissioner and a state legislator. They also say illegal immigration is a national security issue and that illegal aliens and their employers defraud the government and use taxpayer-funded public benefits such as medical care and jail space.
"This is a melting pot, that's a great thing about this country. If they're here legally, they have nothing to worry about," said Sheriff Richard K. Jones, who uses his county Web site and stickers for jail vans to encourage residents to report suspected illegal aliens. "But we have laws. Why even have laws if you're not going to enforce them?"
New Ipswich, N.H., Police Chief Garrett Chamberlain saw a New Hampshire judge in August dismiss as unconstitutional trespassing charges he and the Hudson police chief brought against illegal immigrants. He said he'd like to see a similar law tested before a judge in another state.
"It will be interesting to see what happens in Ohio," Chamberlain said.
Meanwhile, he's working with legislators in his state on a task force to crack down on employers of illegal immigrants.
Federal officials estimate there are some 11 million undocumented aliens in the United States.
But Johnson and other legal experts say immigration law is complex and control of the nation's borders is a federal role. They say local attempts at intervention often are unconstitutional and can lead to polarization.
Jeff Gamso, Ohio legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union, says Butler officials are being divisive.
"They're trying to dump the problems in the county on immigrants and clearly he (the sheriff) has targeted a group of people and is trying to make them villainous," Gamso said. "He can't become an immigration enforcer just because he wants to."
The Butler leaders insist they're not targeting any group. But the largest, fastest-growing immigrant group here is Hispanic - mainly Mexican immigrants - and people in that community are stunned and scared by the campaign.
On the front steps of her home near downtown Hamilton, Minerva Almaraz cradled her smiling 2-year-old daughter on a recent evening. She says she's worried they could get separated, with her being sent back to Mexico because she lacks legal documents, while her daughter was born in the United States.
"I like it here because there are a lot of Mexicans here," she said. "Now everybody is afraid."
This county seat's Hispanic population jumped 500 percent in the 1990s in a city of some 61,000 people, and continues to grow. The booming county of nearly 350,000 residents, a mixture of suburban communities and this industrial river city, now has more than 7,000 Hispanics, compared with about 4,800 in 2000.
Estimates of illegal aliens vary, although it's not difficult to find people who admit they are undocumented or know people who are.
Mario Ramirez has lived here legally for 18 years, and his seven sons were born in Hamilton. The native Mexican runs a drywall business and his family has a supermarket a few blocks from the county jail. His typical workday is 12 to 15 hours.
For years, he and his wife were among a handful of Hispanics, and felt welcome.
"It really was very peaceful, everybody was friendly," Ramirez recalled. But now, "the Mexican community is growing pretty fast, a lot for a small town. I think that's the problem."
In June, a 9-year-old girl was raped in a working-class, mixed-race neighborhood, and the suspect is a Mexican alien who has disappeared. The assault triggered days of tensions that included an arson of his home and appearances of robed Ku Klux Klansmen.
Civic leaders and Hispanic advocates began meeting afterward to try to improve community relations. They say the immigration initiatives announced in October have set back those efforts.
Jones said the plans were already in the works in June but were held up until tensions calmed. Jones this month started a blog soliciting comments, and most of the dozens of respondents have praised the anti-illegal immigration stance.
State Rep. Courtney Combs, R-Fairfield, hopes to introduce legislation by early 2006 that will offer state action on illegal immigration. He said he's been in touch with U.S. Rep. Steve King, an Iowa Republican who wants illegal immigration to be a major issue in his state's influential presidential caucus votes in 2008.
"We want to make sure we have a law with some teeth in it that will pass constitutional muster," said Combs, who said it likely will include tax penalties for employers of illegal aliens.
Greg Palmore, a regional U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman in Detroit, said the federal agency is willing to work with local authorities. He said there are due process issues and concerns about racial profiling that come with some local efforts.
"If they need our services, they can contact us," he said. "We have a very vast mission, but it doesn't hinder us from enforcing the law."
The Rev. Josue Colon calls the Butler campaign "a desperate cry for help from the county to the federal government. The tone that was used was not the right tone. They've caused the fear of being stereotyped or profiled."
He doesn't understand the sudden urgency expressed by officials, and is skeptical about claims that immigrants are financial drain on the community, saying they came here to work.
"The economic structure of this community has grown because of the immigrants who have come here," said Colon, of Puerto Rican descent.
ON THE NET
American Civil Liberties Union-Ohio:
http://www.acluohio.orgButler County:
http://www.butlercountyohio.orgSheriff Jones' blog:
http://www.butlersheriff.org/blog
Sheriff Richard K. Jones, "Why even have laws if you're not going to enforce them?"
ping
Little by little this issue is coming to the forefront. Smart republicans and democrats will get out in front on illegal immigration and border enforcement. I'm glad all the complaining by those of us in the border states is starting to hit home.
Good for these guys. Washington, please take note.
Say goodbye to Butler County : )
"But Johnson and other legal experts say immigration law is complex and control of the nation's borders is a federal role. They say local attempts at intervention often are unconstitutional and CAN LEAD TO POLARIZATION."
DUH! Like between criminals and noncriminals
Well let's get polarizin.
If the mother is ILLEGAL, then the daughter is ILLEGAL regardless if she was born here. Get the both of them the hell out of this country!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shouldn't that be "Say adios to Butler County?
The first comment in the Sheriff's blog mentions Free Republic. (OK, who posted it?)
Comment by Informed Citizen @ November 9, 2005, 1:12 pm
It seems to me that most of Butler County's citizens do not realize that this issue has made an impact nationaly. I am posting some links to organizations outside of our region who are covering this story. MSNBC Story, Americans For Legal Immigration, Free Republic, and Liberty Post.As one of the first people to post a comment I would like to encourage others to post their viewpoints.
“Why can’t the greatest nation on earth, protect it’s own borders?”
Why can't my fellow conservatives use good grammar? The bumper sticker w/the eagle & the US flag is an embarrassment. There should be no comma after "earth," and no apostrophe in "it's." This dumb-*ss bumper sticker perpetuates elitist stereotypes of conservatives as clueless rednecks. I hope no one has actually placed this embarassment on their car yet.
Way to go, DD...shameless plug ping!
The invaders are always sooooo "worried." Maybe they should all go home where they could live in peace. No more "worries" about being separated from the children they had no business having in a foreign country whose taxpayers will have to foot the bill.
Be comical if Chief Chamberlain freed a freshly caught Federal Bank robber on the grounds that it was not in his jurisdiction to hold that person...It's the Fed's responsibility...
One Great American!
I was looking at that website and my front yard looks almost this bad by the end of the day.
(I hate picking up other people's trash.)
Psst! This is where the jackbooted spelling police hang out.
LOL!
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