Posted on 04/22/2009 10:09:45 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
ESCONDIDO — The American Civil Liberties Union yesterday demanded that the city of Escondido change the way it conducts driver's license checkpoints, which critics say are intended to apprehend and deport illegal immigrants and are resulting in suspicion and resentment among many Latinos.
At a news conference yesterday in San Diego with El Grupo – a coalition of Latino and advocacy organizations – the ACLU said the city needs to be more transparent.
Escondido has checkpoints about twice a month, for two hours, on a busy road. Drivers who fail to produce licenses or have revoked or suspended licenses are stopped, and usually their vehicles are impounded.
If a warrant check shows that they are illegal immigrants and are wanted by immigration authorities, they are turned over, Police Chief Jim Maher said. Those who can't be identified are taken to the police station for fingerprinting and a background check.
Andrea Guerrero, an ACLU director, said police should record all interactions between officers and drivers at the checkpoints; list the ethnicity of drivers who are stopped to safeguard against profiling; and appoint an oversight committee to monitor the department.
“Driver's license checkpoints are fishing expeditions for illegal immigrants,” Guerrero said later.
Victor Torres, an El Grupo spokesman, said the checkpoints have alienated many of Escondido's Latino residents, about 45 percent of the city's 143,000 population, to the point that they no longer trust police enough to report crimes. It presented two women who talked about their fear of police.
Torres demanded that the city fire the police chief, saying he has encouraged an anti-Latino environment.
Maher responded at a news conference later in the day.
He said the checkpoints have helped reduce the number of hit-and-run accidents from more than 600 a year in 2004 to 433 last year. In 2008, 280 citations were issued and 221 vehicles impounded, he said.
Even so, Escondido still has the second-highest number of hit-and-runs among 52 California cities of similar size, Maher said.
Last year, Maher said, 17 checkpoints were conducted, but only one person was deported because there was a judge's order to arrest her. Maher said he has worked hard to foster good relations between Latino residents and police.
El Grupo contends that other cities that do not have checkpoints have seen similar declines in hit-and-run accidents since 2004.
Maher said he will not ask officers to record interactions at the checkpoints or list the ethnicity of those stopped because such information would be subject to manipulation.
City Manager Clay Phillips and council members Dick Daniels, Sam Abed and Marie Waldron expressed confidence in Maher. Mayor Lori Holt Pfeiler said that the chief is working hard to keep residents safe, and that those who have problems with the police should work with the council to make changes.
Councilwoman Olga Diaz, whose husband is an Escondido police lieutenant, said the chief's refusal to consider what the ACLU asked for indicates Maher is inflexible. Diaz said she will ask the council to consider changes to the checkpoint policy.
When ‘They’ ban ‘fishing’, the terrorists have won.
“resulting in suspicion and resentment among many Latinos.”...
Not to mention my resentment of open borders.....
Driver’s license checkpoints are fishing expeditions for illegal immigrants,” Guerrero said later.
Fish on!......
I suggest they open a "Bait Store" also ... they could call it Home Baito!
The checkpoints are bad because they are designed to catch someone doing something illegal, but might inadvertently catch someone doing something else that’s also illegal. With all due respect, WTF?!?
They make it sound like a bad thing.
I suggest they open a “Bait Store” also ... they could call it Home Baito!
Good idea!....they would all just stand around outside and then the bus could pick them all up for their ride back to the bordito!
They need to fish for ACLU lawyers and when they get a good stringer, deep six them.
They just need to call it a “Drunk Driving” checkpoint and tell the ACLU to go get stuffed.
Maybe they will catch a few people with illegal licenses while they are at it and a few drunk drivers to boot.
Ping!
ACLU: it’s a civil right to invade the U.S.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.