Yuma cops uneasy with arresting illegal aliens

[Stew Padasso]

Yuma cops uneasy with arresting illegal aliens

BY JAMES GILBERT Nov 7, 2003

Yuma County Sheriff Ralph Ogden thinks legislation that would require local and state law enforcement agencies nationwide to arrest illegal immigrants will do more harm than good.

The measure, which is being pushed by Republicans in Congress, would also force officers to demand a license, registration and proof of citizenship on all routine traffic stops.

This Compartment which housed eight illegal immigrants, was discovered in a tractor-trailor at 4a.m. Thursday

"We live in an area that is mostly Hispanic," Ogden said. "I'm not saying illegal immigration is right, but when you start asking people if they are documented or undocumented, you're taking chances on alienating a whole bunch of people."

Passage of the bill is uncertain, but U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood, R-Ga., who introduced the Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal Act in July, has 106 co-sponsors — including Arizona Reps. Trent Franks, J.D. Hayworth and John Shadegg, all Republicans.

In proposing the bill, Norwood argued that the 2,000 federal immigration agents charged with tracking down 8 million to 9 million illegal immigrants now in the United States cannot do their jobs without help from hundreds of thousands of local law enforcement agencies and officers.

At present, local law enforcement agencies such as police and sheriff's departments don't have authority to arrest people for violating immigration laws, which are federal statutes, said Sgt. Cesar Fazz, of the Yuma Police Department.

Fazz added that state and local law enforcement agencies do, however, turn undocumented immigrants arrested or involved in other crimes over to federal immigration authorities.

Yuma Police Chief Robby Robinson said the use of police to detain immigrants would be "a real complicated issue." He added that Norwood's legislation, if passed, will tax the resources of local law enforcement agencies.

Yuma sector U.S. Border Patrol officials are noncommittal on the bill.

The legislation would not require local law enforcement agencies to track down undocumented immigrants, but those localities that refuse to cooperate in assisting federal immigration authorities could lose millions of dollars in federal money.

"It's a scare tactic," Ogden said.

Ogden said the new bill is a result of a bad immigration policy, and would basically turn his deputies into Border Patrol agents if passed.

"We don't have the resources to provide the services we would like to, as it is," Ogden said.

Ogden went on to give as another reason for not wanting the bill to pass that Yuma County already has a border patrol presence charged with handling illegal immigration activities.

Fazz also expressed a concern that the measure would hamper crime investigations in border communities.

"My guess would be they would be afraid to deal with any sort of authority if they are here illegally," Fazz said. "The Border Patrol, sheriff's (office) and police are all authority figures and they would hesitate to have any dealings with them for fear of being detained."

Somerton police Chief Terry Hollis and San Luis police Chief Heriberto Bejarano were not available for comment.

The bill went before a House Judiciary immigration subcommittee hearing last month, which represents the first hurdle for the bill to pass.

[TigersEye]

"My guess would be they would be afraid to deal with any sort of authority if they are here illegally," Fazz said. "The Border Patrol, sheriff's (office) and police are all authority figures and they would hesitate to have any dealings with them for fear of being detained."

OK, so what's the downside? Still not afraid of the citizens?

How about a Border Patrol Hotline? Citizens call in spottings of illegals and an instant response team hauls buns out to round 'em up.

[HiJinx]

You mean, like the one that's already operating here in Cochise County?

It works just fine...a litte too fine...one of the reasons our Sheriff is upset with this bill. No county sheriff along this border in this state is resourced to deal with the flood of illegals.

The solution is to use all resources - police, military, and militia - to seal the unauthorized crossing points.

Thye'd be amazed at how quickly their crime problem goes away!

[Prime Choice]

Yuma County Sheriff Ralph Ogden thinks legislation that would require local and state law enforcement agencies nationwide to arrest illegal immigrants will do more harm than good.

Good thing for him that I'm not his boss. If I heard that coming from one of mine, my answer would be direct:

"Turn in your resignation. I need someone who can do the job they're being paid to do."

[HiJinx]

Good thing for him that I'm not his boss.

The citizens of Yuma County are his boss. He's an elected official.

[TigersEye]

I appreciate that you're closer to the situation (not that I've always been in VT) but I don't understand the following statement.

It works just fine...a litte too fine...one of the reasons our Sheriff is upset with this bill.

If more cooperation is what you need and what you're getting and it's working and the bill will create more why is the Sherrif upset?

[Prime Choice]

Good thing for him that I'm not his boss.

The citizens of Yuma County are his boss. He's an elected official.

Hmmmmmm...can he be recalled, by chance? That's almost as good as a firing.

[azhenfud]

Legalization through Deportation, not Legislation

[HiJinx]

I don't believe we have recall for Sheriffs...but I could be wrong.

Do you know, SandRat?

[HiJinx]

Let me see what I was thinking...oh yeah.

Our Sheriff sees this legislation as an unfunded mandate to perform Federal (Border Patrol/ICE) law enforcement duties. Because of the spotter network active in Cochise County, our Sheriff sometimes finds himself augmenting the BP...instead of performing the duties of a county sheriff. and he does it on a county budget without much help from the U.S. Treasury.

For what it's worth, Cochise County is about the size of Rhode Island, though certainly not as populous. We share an 80 mile border with Mexico, and have on average 150,000 illegals apprehended annually. That is anywhere from 5 to 10 percent of the amount that slips through undetected.

[Old Professer]

It's a family affair.

[Old Professer]

Similar to what you'd get if you tried to get someone to quit smoking cigarettes.

Another busybody slams the closet door.

[TigersEye]

Err, I think we have our lines crossed on the bill and Sherrifs and whatnot ... anyway, FWIW, I probably know AZ a whole lot better than VT. I love it there.

[varon]

"I'm not saying illegal immigration is right, but when you start asking people if they are documented or undocumented, you're taking chances on alienating a whole bunch of people."

Well, well, well. So this law enforcement type is concerned with alienating a whole bunch of people by asking for papers. What in the hell does this guy think he's doing when making a traffic stop and asking for drivers license and proodf of insurance from the white guy? Making friends? Don't think so.

Last time one of those cowboys pulled me over for going 7 MPH over limit, they alienated my a** but good and he didn't seem to mind one bit!

[c-b 1]

I am not a fan of Sheriff Ralph, he is a liberal Democrat, which the author fails to point out, while not missing a chance to point out who are Republicans. In Sheriff Ralph's defense, his resources are spread very thin.

The statement from YPD Chief Robinson doesn't surprise me, he is a typical politically correct, anti-gun police chief.

[c-b 1]

Hmmmmmm...can he be recalled, by chance? That's almost as good as a firing.

Probably not, we have tried to unseat him in the last two elections, and failed.

Please, one thing at a time here, we just flushed all but one liberal out of the City Council Tuesday, yesterday I requested the requirements for the recall of a School Board member. There aren't enough participants here to run two recalls.

[Kay Soze]

But we demand that Syria and Iran stop terrorists from crossing their borders to kill our servicemen.

We cannot as the most powerfull and technologically adnaved nation on plant earth keep or borders secure but expect third and heck even fourth world nations to check theirs!

pretty sad.

[texastoo]

Good letter. Let us know if it gets printed.

The followiing is a paragraph from an article in one of Mexico's newspapers about their crime problems.

"Just last year,1.44 million felonies such as burglaries, rapes and assaults were reported, and 90 percent went unpunished. Defects in a judicial system that does not punish criminals, entrenched corruption in POLICE DEPARTMENTS...."

Quite possibly this sheriff has been corrupted by the illegals.

Last sumer in Birmingham,Al. there was a story about immigrants from Mexico, as the paper did not give their immigration status, wanting to buy a cop for protection for their neighborhood. This is one way corruption begins in police departments.

[JustPiper]

I caught AMW for the first time in awhile. Guess what it was about tonight? If you didn't see it...showing Homeland Defense and the border. Concentrated on illegal alien crimes.

Oscar Rene "Popeye" Cabrera
Murder, Attempted Murder, Armed Robbery, ADW, Evading Police & UFAP
Data From: Los Angeles Police Department
(AMW: 4/29/00; 3/24/01; 11/8/03)

Just one of the lovelies

To see all the illegals:
AMW

Be sure to check out the ICE criminals, they are the ones the DHS has a special unit for Mexican illegals.