Posted on 12/05/2003 3:37:56 PM PST by heleny
Immigration Incident Ignites Debate
Police Call Border Patrol After Shoplifting Incident
POSTED: 5:55 p.m. PST December 3, 2003
SAN DIEGO -- The City Council in National City asked police on Wednesday to investigate a recent immigration incident at a J.C. Penney store.
The incident has ignited a debate: Should local law enforcement get involved in immigration issues?
"They were just returning a pair of pants," said Anthony Flores (pictured, right), who told NBC 7/39 that he and his family were at the store when a National City police officer approached them about a shoplifting incident.
Flores said his aunt and cousin did not have any identification. The officer called the Border Patrol and the two were deported to Mexico.
Since the incident, Latino groups have accused the store of racial profiling, and they have also accused the police of collaborating with federal agents.
National City Mayor Nick Inzunza agrees that there is a problem -- but that he stands behind the officer.
"Well, I do think we need clarity in our police policy," said Inzunza.
The mayor said that the city has directed the police department to review its policy and -- in the meantime -- to stop coordinating with the Border Patrol on cases like this.
The mayor is concerned that in a city with a Latino majority, undocumented immigrants may be leery about reporting crime if they think the police will call immigration officials on them.
"Our concern is to target local crime," said Inzunza. "We do not have the resources to target federal crime. We don't have the resource to target state crimes."
There is a bill pending in the U.S. house that would encourage police around the country to report any undocumented aliens they come across. Supporters of the measure believe that it would help to beef up homeland security, but National City police said that they've already got their hands full.
"If law enforcement has to enforce immigration laws -- and that becomes one of our primary functions -- that could impact small departments like ours," said Sgt. Jose Tellez of the National City police.
As for Flores and his family -- the police said they were not charged with shoplifting.
Previous Story:
- November 20, 2003: Group Protests Deportation Of J.C. Penney Shoppers
If those immigrants had been Arabs slinging fully-automatic Kalashnikov rifles, and one guy's left shoe had been ticking loudly or trailing an unlit fuse, you can just bet your butt that National City would find the resources to enforce federal law on him!!!
I can kind of see where that could be a problem though. What if some people come to my house for a party or something --- and they look illegal to a neighbor --- they might be illegal or they might be US citizens of many generations --- then the agents show up and start hauling off my guests? Go through every room and closet looking for illegals who aren't there? I think there are better ways.
Source?
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