Posted on 07/26/2008 3:25:38 PM PDT by Osage Orange
Illegal immigration is hot issue in some county sheriff races
By Devona Walker
Staff Writer
Before House Bill 1804 went into effect in November, Tulsa County Sheriff Stanley Glanz was vigilant in enforcing federal immigration law.
Since then, he has had more than 30 deputies trained in enforcing federal immigration law, he has helped deport more than a 1,000 illegal immigrants from Tulsa County, he boasts of a 7 percent decline in jail population, and he's enjoyed growing popularity among a vocal element of residents.
In this election year, Glanz is unopposed.
"I do think immigration has been a part of this, absolutely,” said Carol Helm, director of Immigration Reform for Oklahoma Now. "He has certainly been an enforcer of the rule of law. And the statistics prove it. That is exactly what the citizens want, and that's exactly why the bill was passed in the first place.”
Immigration Reform for Oklahoma Now, based in Jenks, is a grassroots anti-illegal immigration group, one of hundreds across the nation that make up the movement. Immigration Reform for Oklahoma Now, like other Oklahoma anti-illegal immigration groups — such as Outraged Patriots, based in Beggs, and OK-SAFE, based in Oklahoma City is loosely affiliated with national groups such as the Federation for American Immigration Reform, NumbersUSA and the Center for Immigration Studies.
In Oklahoma, there are roughly 35,000 to 40,000 Oklahoma residents who are active in these groups, Helm said.
Other law officers' enforcement criticized.
In advance of Tuesday's primary election, Helm and others have spent the past month rallying behind officials who support their ideology. They also are working to unseat those they perceive as being nonsupportive or "lackadaisical in their enforcement of the rule of law.”
The anti-illegal immigrant network has focused on sheriff, judge and district attorney elections, offices that have the most discretion in determining how HB 1804 and federal immigration law is enforced.
While the groups support Glanz's work, they have vocally criticized other sheriffs for what they see as a lack of vigilance. Helm said the state is filled with elected law enforcement officials who are failing to do their job when it comes to immigration enforcement.
"I talk to a lot of folks all over, everywhere from Altus to Woodward to Miami,” Helm said. "I think the entire state is tired of the drain on the local communities. The local communities are in worse shape than Tulsa, and you know how bad that is.”
"Some people think immigration is a federal issue, but so is robbing a bank. You just don't ignore it when you see it happening,” said Glanz, who says he has reduced crime by enforcing immigration laws.
This position has not been supported by the Tulsa Police Department, which has reported a slight increase in crime due largely to criminals targeting illegal immigrants.
"I don't think they understand the implications on the community of having a strong underbelly of illegal aliens,” Glanz said about lack of enforcement at other departments. "When you have a bunch of illegals in a community, it spawns other types of criminal activity; it helps create an environment where that criminality can exist.”
Immigration not issue in all areas of state
Immigration as a political weapon may have lost its edge elsewhere. In Pottawatomie County, for instance, three candidates are vying for Sheriff Kurt Shirey's job — Mike Booth, Gary Roe and Jay Davis. None is talking about immigration.
"Immigration has not been a big issue here,” Shirey said. "As long as they are law-abiding so they don't draw our attention.”
Shawnee's Hispanic population is officially listed at about 1.9 percent, but illegal immigrants are largely undercounted in those statistics. The city's population is about 30,000. The issue has come up once at a community forum, Shirey said.
"It's just like I told that person at the forum, this is a nation of immigrants, but my point is it needs to be done legally,” Shirey said.
One Pottawatomie County resident echoed Shirey's views.
"We have a flurry of immigrants around here. They come and they go,” said Debra Short, 49, a small-business owner in Shawnee. "I will make my decision based on the character of the person running.”
I always liked Sheriff Glanz. Nice to see he’s still in business.
He's got it right..!!
An then there's Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows the U.S. attorney general to enter into written agreements with any state or political subdivision to permit the state or locality's officers to perform immigration functions.
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