Posted on 11/07/2007 4:03:02 PM PST by SandRat
The Tucson Police Department and the Tucson Unified School District no longer will summon Border Patrol officials or immigration authorities to school grounds, officials said Tuesday.
The announcement came hours after dozens of students marched against a family's deportation that played out at two Midtown schools.
Nearly 100 students assembled outside Catalina Magnet High School early Tuesday and marched Downtown to the Federal Building and eventually Tucson police headquarters, protesting the process that allowed U.S. Border Patrol agents onto their campus.
The student march was sparked by the Thursday deportation of a Catalina student and his family after school officials found a small amount of marijuana in the boy's backpack. The officials called police, who notified the Border Patrol after learning that his family was living here illegally. The family's younger son, attending Doolen Middle School, also was pulled from class and deported.
"We're mad because immigration came into our school," said 16-year-old Mario Portillo, one of the protesting students. "The kid broke the law. He was wrong. This isn't about him."
The effect has been chilling, one of Portillo's classmates said.
"Some students aren't going to school because they don't feel safe," said Lizeth Grijalva, 17. "We can't have this at schools."
TUSD Superintendent Roger Pfeuffer and Assistant Police Chief Roberto Villaseñor met late Tuesday morning to discuss the incident.
"They came to an agreement that what happened on Thursday will not happen on a campus again," said Chyrl Hill Lander, a TUSD spokeswoman. "The implementation of immigration law will not be done on school grounds."
Tucson police officers no longer will call Border Patrol agents to schools or churches, Villaseñor said. However, police will provide information to the federal government that will allow those officials to follow up on the investigation, he said. The change is based on Border Patrol policy not to respond to schools or churches unless agents are asked to do so.
Under the new policy, Border Patrol agents never would have been called to Catalina, 3645 E. Pima St., although the family of the boy who allegedly brought pot to campus still may have been deported.
Amy Rezzonico, a spokeswoman for the Arizona Department of Education, said she had not heard of deportations resulting from an on-campus incident. School officials are forbidden to ask about a student's legal status, she noted.
"We can't ask. That is a federal law," she said. "We educate students regardless."
Warren Allison, TUSD's school-safety coordinator, said school officials had to contact police because the student was caught with drugs.
"By state law, if you have contraband, we have to call the police," he said. "After that, it's on them."
As students gathered in front of Police Department headquarters, 270 S. Stone Ave., Pfeuffer relayed the same message.
Grijalva, a senior, said the students wanted an explanation from police about why Border Patrol agents were notified this time.
Villaseñor said the arresting officer learned through the course of the investigation that the boy and his family were in the country illegally.
"We are obligated to notify the proper authorities when we become aware of criminal activity," he said.
When some of the protesting students learned of the new policy, they said they were glad it barred immigration officials from schools, but they remained concerned about local police enforcing federal immigration laws.
"I still think the Police Department shouldn't be allowed to ask someone about their citizenship," Portillo said. "That's not their job. Their job is to keep us safe and ensure our rights."
The students said they began organizing the march late last week by sending each other text messages and e-mails.
As the students marched through the streets Tuesday, they chanted, "Sí se puede" and "We are students, not criminals," and carried signs that read: "Migra out of our schools."
Villaseñor and Pfeuffer both acknowledged that the students had protested peacefully and sparked an insightful discussion. Pfeuffer also told the students that it's important to have these kinds of talks in a school setting, not just during protests.
TUSD's regular absence policy will apply to students who took part in the nearly five-mile march, Lander said. A student with a parent's note or whose parents called to explain the absence will be excused.
No attendance numbers were available Tuesday, Lander said, but Catalina has 1,482 enrolled.
Ernesto Portillo: Students were right to protest, and don't be surprised to see more marches like this.
● To contact reporters: George B. Sánchez at 573-4195 or at gsanchez@azstarnet.com; Dale Quinn at 629-9412 or at dquinn@azstarnet.com.
1st of 2 stories.
The students fail civics 101.
These dumb bastards running the schools better be read teh riot act.
I suspect the Sheriff is going to have the last word on this one.
I realize that this was the police that responded, but Sheriff Arpyoo (I’m not sure of the right spelling) has no truck with this kind of stuff. I’d bet on his side.
You were right. This is blood-boiling. GRRRRRRRRR!!!!
Sorry to say it’s the wrong county. Arpaio is in Maricopa County (Phoenix). This is Pima County (Tucson).
I notice the [Red] Star didn’t enable comments on this article like they did the last one.
Visit from Joe Arpaio......
There’s a video too. Wherea are their American flags? Oh, they don’t have any. But they have Mexican flags. Traitors.
http://regulus2.azstarnet.com/mediaskins/main.php?id=1990
self ping
“We’re mad because immigration came into our school,” said 16-year-old Mario Portillo, one of the protesting students. “The kid broke the law. He was wrong. This isn’t about him.”
The effect has been chilling, one of Portillo’s classmates said.
“Some students aren’t going to school because they don’t feel safe,” said Lizeth Grijalva, 17. “We can’t have this at schools.”
Minor illegal aliens are making local policy and immigration law now?
“Villaseñor said the arresting officer learned through the course of the investigation that the boy and his family were in the country illegally.
“We are obligated to notify the proper authorities when we become aware of criminal activity,” he said.”
This Asst Chief of Poice is correct...
Wrong county. This is Pima, not Maricopa.
Sheriff Joe is far to the North in Maricopa County, Tucson is in Pima County and that Sheriff is ... shall we say weak.
Ricardo Espinoza-Valdez, 28, a contract food-service worker for Scottsdale schools is accused of taking pictures of girls' buttocks and legs at Saguaro High School by positioning a digital camera in a box near their skirts, Scottsdale police said.
Espinoza-Valdez is being held in custody for 2 counts of Disorderly Conduct. Espinoza-Valdez also has an ICE hold. Other felony charges are pending further investigation. He has been given a $1 million bond. Police say Espinoza-Valdez is not here legally.
OK, I guess the taxpayers are screwed.
From that vid:
Angry flag d00d- “We decided to clique up together and just do what we gotta do for our race and everything”
How charming.
Mexican flags, and chants of "Viva Mexico". Where was ICE? Every single student who is illegal and their families should be sent back to their homes in Mexico. Their all-expenses paid vacation to Tuscon is over.
This is absolute BS!! They march and we cowtow to them- I don’t think so. If LEO of any type is needed in a given situation they need to be called and to exclude BP is crazy and sends the wrong message.
Exactly!! Actually they need to be gone and new officials hired in their place that respect our laws and our law enforcement agencies.
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