Posted on 06/02/2002 2:39:04 PM PDT by callisto
Two of America's most prominent conservative leaders and a former Democrat ambassador and Boston mayor have written a letter to President Bush opposing a Justice Department proposal that would permit state and local law enforcement agencies to track down illegal immigrants as a way to fight terrorism.
David Keene, Chairman of the American Conservative Union, Grover Norquist president of Americans for Tax Reform - a top political analyst - and former Boston mayor and ambassador to the Vatican Ray Flynn who heads the Catholic Alliance took the side of police officials and immigrant rights activists in urging the president to prevent the proposal from being implemented.
Police officials across the nation have already criticized the idea, warning that it would endanger their relations with immigrants. especially because they would be reluctant to report crimes fearing they might be exposed to charges of immigration law violations.
According to the New York Times' Eric Schmitt, on Friday the three men wrote to the President complaining that the plan, now being reviewed by Attorney General John Ashcroft, would create a dangerous precedent because it would empower local authorities to become enforcement tools of the federal government.
"If local police are to enforce our immigration laws, will they soon be required to seek out and apprehend those who violate our environmental laws, or the Americans with Disabilities Act as well?" the three men wrote.
Scott McClellan, a White House spokesman, told the Times that the president's aides had not seen the letter and that anyway, it was to early to speculate on the outcome of the Justice Department proposal.
Schmitt explained that the proposal, if adopted, would allow local police officers to make arrests for civil violations of immigration law, such as overstaying visas.
The proposal is in direct contradiction of a 1996 opinion issued by the Justice Department's office of legal counsel which prohibited local law enforcement officers from tracking down illegal immigrants. Moreover, a draft memorandum last November by the same office reiterated that opinion.
Schmitt explained that the Immigration and Naturalization Service officers have the jurisdiction in such matters.
Schmitt wrote that the proposed plan has created a split between Justice Department officials and White House aides, who have been supporters of John Ashcroft's strong efforts to fight terrorism.
White House officials say they fear that the proposal as written could lead to racial profiling and lawsuits resulting from police abuses. They warn it could put a strain on relations with Latin American nations and alienate Hispanic voters, targets of ardent GOP wooing for their votes in the upcoming November election where control of the House and Senate is up for grabs.
Keene, Norquist and Flynn also warned that the proposal would strain already overburdened local and state police departments.
"This is not just bad policy, it is not really needed," they wrote. "Mechanisms already exist to foster federal-local cooperation in this area."
Why in the sh** are they not doing it now? They are ILLEGAL. Do these idiots not understand the word ILLEGAL?
The CIA is going to work more closely with the FBI. The local police will be mandated to carry out their orders. We then have one national police force.
Does the term "Police State" mean anything to you. And our guy may not always be in. There is always the possibility of a Democratic President who would abuse national police powers. Grover is just thinking ahead.
Profiling is in and Political Correctness is out the window! Someone should tell these gutless wonders to quit whining and do something useful instead of acting like idiots afraid of their shadows. Immigrant rights activists are on very shaky ground with their fears; my advice to them - find a different line of work!
It did *not* go back to normal. The war was a bonanza for increasing the power of the state, both federal and local. The witholding of income tax from your check is a "temporary wartime measure". The telephone tax is another "temporary wartime measure". Vast expansiion of power for the FBI.. a "temporary wartime measure". The vast apparatus of the CIA, started in WWII , expanded enourmously after the war. Hugh land grabs for the federal governement, especially out west.."Temporary wartime mearsures". Some things the American people just would not stand, like wage and price controls and rationing. The government tried to keep them going, but bowed to the public demands when the public voted many out of office. Probably the most harm was done with the vast increase in government control over the media, which helped solidify the three television networks shortly after the war.
We have never recovered from the loss of freedoms and increase in government power during World War II. A lot of it may have been the continuing cold war with its hot spots in Korea, Hungary, Vietnam, and Afghanistan. Now it looked like some of those "temporary wartime measures" are under pressure, and the new war has come up.
Didn't Benjamin Franklin say "Those who give up essential liberted for temporary security will son have neither." or something close to that effect.
Did they mean "endanger their relations with wetbacks"?
What kind of "relation" do they need to have with illegals that doesn't begin with a 'Miranda' warning, and end with handcuffs?
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