Immigrant rights organization urges local police to review procedures[La Joya, Texas]

The Monitor ^ | June 1, 2008 | Sean Gaffney

[SwinneySwitch]

LA JOYA - A local civil rights organization is urging police to avoid immigration enforcement after complaints were lodged alleging officers were targeting illegal immigrants.

La Union del Pueblo Entero (LUPE) representatives are in the midst of meetings with local police leaders in western Hidalgo County, where authorities routinely encounter human trafficking and illegal immigrants streaming across ranch lands nearly every day.

"There have been comments made to us by some of our members and other members in the community that when (police) stop them for a traffic violation they were asking for legal documents," LUPE Texas Director Juanita Valdez-Cox said last week.

Police leaders, however, assert their officers don't check immigration status and that they only contact U.S. Border Patrol agents if they are clearly dealing with a group of illegal immigrants.

La Joya police spokesman Officer Joe Cantu said if a driver who is stopped does not have a license or any form of ID, they are taken to the police station and asked to contact family. Border Patrol is never contacted in such cases, he said.

"If they got a (house) and they got a job and they are working, why mess with it?" Cantu said. "That's my philosophy."

But still, La Joya police often chase dangerous coyotes, or human smugglers, with a truckload of illegal immigrants.

In that situation, Cantu said, the coyote will almost always run from authorities after committing a minor traffic violation. Then, because they are evading police and it's clear that police are probably dealing with a human trafficking ring, they contact Border Patrol agents - who are charged with enforcing immigration law.

Often, police also encounter illegal immigrants after a property owner calls about people running across their land, Cantu said. Then they contact Border Patrol agents as well, he said.

The situation is nearly the same in nearby Palmview, where police also routinely encounter smuggling operations.

Local police spokesman Lt. Lenny Sanchez said that it's up to an officer's discretion about whether or not to call Border Patrol agents. He said an officer contacts Border Patrol when it's clear he or she has encountered human smugglers, or if the officer thinks the suspected illegal immigrant is a clear danger or possibly a fugitive.

Still, the issue is not clear cut, especially in a border town.

"We are a border town. We get dope and we get illegal smuggling," Sanchez said. "We are major corridor to all kinds."

Valdez-Cox said that so far local police leaders have been responsive to LUPE's complaints and have even pledged to meet with members of the community to discuss how their officers address illegal immigration.

She said doing so is important because a police force could compromise its own work if the communities it patrols don't trust it to report crime.

"There's no denying there are undocumented people living here," Valdez-Cox said. "It's a very complicated, federal issue that our government and representatives have not been able to figure out.

But "because it's not fixed, why should it fall upon the local police officers?"

[SwinneySwitch]

Police discover 17 Asian illegals in La Joya[South Texas] The Monitor ^ | May 31, 2008 | Jared Taylor

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2024252/posts

LUPE is LOCO!

[Travis McGee]

QUISLING: a synonym for traitor, someone who collaborates with the invaders of his country.

Current federal law 8USC 1373(a) PROHIBITS SANCTUARY CITIES. It reads as follows:

"Notwithstanding any other provision of federal, state, or local law, a federal, state, or local government entity or official may not prohibit, or in any way restrict any government entity or official from sending to, or receiving from, the Immigration and Naturalization Service information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual."

U.S. Constitution, Article 4 Section 4:

"The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government,

and shall protect each of them against Invasion;"

---

Invasion: \In*va"sion\, n. [L. invasio: cf. F. invasion. See Invade.] [1913 Webster]

1. The act of invading; the act of encroaching upon the rights or possessions of another; encroachment; trespass.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

A local civil rights organization is urging police to avoid immigration enforcement after complaints were lodged alleging officers were targeting illegal immigrants.

Uh....isn't that the point?

[basil]

I often wonder why so many folks only see that “these people are doing the jobs Americans won’t do”, but never mention what “these people” are costing the taxpayers of this country in terms of our schools, our medical services, and the myriad of other ways we are paying for them being here.

[stylin19a]

A local civil rights organization is urging police to avoid immigration enforcement after complaints were lodged alleging officers were targeting illegal immigrants.

BREAKING NEWS - police can't target lawbreakers...

[WesternPacific]

because it's not fixed, why should it fall upon the local police officers?"

Because you swore to uphold the law.

[SwinneySwitch]

LUPE ping!

If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.

[SwinneySwitch]

ping!

[SECURE AMERICA]

Immigrant rights organization urges local police to review procedures

Posted on Monday, June 02, 2008 9:42:54 AM by SwinneySwitch

LA JOYA - A local civil rights organization is urging police to avoid immigration enforcement after complaints were lodged alleging officers were targeting illegal immigrants.

Typical Media. Which is it? Immigrants Rights or Illegal Immigrnats Rights. They are 2 different things.
The s=aeticle is title Immmigrants rights but then switches over to talking about Police involement with ILLEGAL Immigrants.
Immigrants have rights
Illegal Immingrants have the right to be caught, imprisoned and returned to wherever they ILLEGALLY came from.

[Tex Pete]

U.S. taxpayer urges local civil rights organization to STFU.

[AuntB]

“”If they got a (house) and they got a job and they are working, why mess with it?” Cantu said. “That’s my philosophy.””

Yeah, I have a house and a job, will you let me slide on identity theft, working under the table against the law, breaking into a sovereign country?????

[massgopguy]

Any conduct that facilitates an Illegal Alien to remain in the country is a violation of USC 8, and those responsible can be sued by private citizens under the RICO statutes that were expanded in 1996. Sue the MF’s out of existance!

[Jaded]

Even if they are “legal immigrants” why should they have more or different rights than people born in America? Typical lib.

[gubamyster]

ping

[Vigilanteman]

A local civil rights organization is urging police to avoid armed robbery immigration enforcement after complaints were lodged alleging officers were targeting armed robbers illegal immigrants.

Wouldn't this be a weird headline? Why are some criminals more equal than others?

[raybbr]

"There have been comments made to us by some of our members and other members in the community that when (police) stop them for a traffic violation they were asking for legal documents," LUPE Texas Director Juanita Valdez-Cox said last week.

Just once I would like to read where some one in a position of authority turned one of these cretins and said, "Why don't you just shut up!".

[SwinneySwitch]

“Just once I would like to read where some one in a position of authority turned one of these cretins and said, “Why don’t you just shut up!”.

Spanish King Tells Chavez To “Shut Up”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1923947/posts