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Hispanics blast impounding of vehicles in L.A.
EFE ^ | August 22, 2003 | Rocio Ayuso.

Posted on 08/23/2003 3:25:07 AM PDT by sarcasm

Los Angeles, U.S., August 22, 2003 (EFE).- Hispanics in the South L.A. municipality of Maywood are angry at what they say is a discriminatory campaign in which police are stopping Latinos and impounding the vehicles of those without a driver's license.

"We're not talking about agents of law and order but of official corruption, as though this were Latin America," an irate Felipe Aguirre of the Comite Pro Uno, an activist group organizing protests against the practice, told EFE.

In the last 12 months, more than 1,800 vehicles have been impounded from members of the Hispanic community in a town of some 40,000 inhabitants.

Although the underlying reason for the regulation is road safety, the Comite Pro Uno, supported by the nationwide League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC, allege the manner of enforcement in Maywood has made it a new form of racial discrimination.

"They're taking it out on the immigrant community," said Aguirre, after pointing out that the number of vehicles impounded in the community exceeded the total for the rest of the state of California.

The cars were impounded after their drivers could not produce a valid license. Latino activists say seizure of the vehicle is a drastic measure.

The vast majority of undocumented immigrants do not have a driver's license, because documentation is required in order to obtain one. The California state legislature is currently debating a bill that would allow many illegal immigrants to get a license.

Maywood is "99.9 percent Hispanic," as attested by the fact that even the council members are Latino, but the traffic cops are "all white," Aguirre said.

The activist alleges, however, that the problem is not only another instance of racial discrimination.

According to Aguirre, the massive impounding of vehicles in the Hispanic community is aimed at fattening the municipal coffers with easy money obtained from the most needy, whose cars are usually worth less than the fines that must be paid to get them back.

Such was the case with Yolanda and Paolo, a Mexican couple who in the last three months have had their Dodge Shadow - which cost $1,000 - impounded twice, and had to pay $656 each time to get it released.

"It's clear we need to resolve the problem of people driving without licenses in California, but to use traffic laws to seize the property of undocumented immigrants is not the solution," said LULAC president Hector Flores.

This situation should be debated in the state legislature, said Aguirre, who expressed hope that amid the turmoil California is presently experiencing the effort to recall Gov. Gray Davis, the embattled incumbent would see fit to authorize the state to issue licenses to illegal immigrants.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: driverslicense; illegal; maywood; occupation
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To: Caipirabob
re your #12: Along the same lines, in MD we have vehicle emission inspection laws. The inspection costs $14 and your registration gets suspended if you fail the test or don't get the inspection. The kicker is that vehicles over 10yo are exempt "because it's not fair to low income people" to make their cars comply. And of course, which car is emitting more, my 4yo Subaru or his 1982 Fairlane? Sigh.
21 posted on 08/23/2003 5:43:10 AM PDT by silverdog (Let's leave the grown-ups in charge.)
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To: sarcasm
Nasty white cops are enforcing the law on illegals who break laws constantly.In the country illegaly, no license, no insurance, no driver training,no knowledge of traffic laws,can't read traffic signs.KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK WHITE COPS!
22 posted on 08/23/2003 6:05:17 AM PDT by novacation
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To: friendly

23 posted on 08/23/2003 6:23:09 AM PDT by Verax
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To: sarcasm
Last week I was in Fullerton, Garden Grove and Anaheim and saw the police towing vehicles several times. I asked a Sheriffs' deputy why and he told me that they didn't have licenses and were automatically towed. The next three I saw I rolled the window down and laughed at them. Screw the illegal majados.
24 posted on 08/23/2003 6:40:25 AM PDT by vetvetdoug
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To: vetvetdoug
The next three what?
25 posted on 08/23/2003 7:16:28 AM PDT by Steve0113
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To: sarcasm
I used to work in Maywood about 25 years ago. It was a sewer then and it's worse now. I believe it's the most high-density residential district in the entire country (17 people per apartment, loads of illegal "granny flats," people living in garages, etc.), and the streets are so jammed with parked cars you can barely drive on them.

I say BRAVO to these cops.

26 posted on 08/23/2003 7:32:32 AM PDT by truthkeeper
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Comment #27 Removed by Moderator

To: HiJinx
ping
28 posted on 08/23/2003 8:09:12 AM PDT by Libertarianize the GOP (Ideas have consequences)
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To: sarcasm
It is exactly the solution and when they start doing the same for DUI as well as uninsured motorists we will be making some progress.
29 posted on 08/23/2003 8:09:25 AM PDT by Let's Roll (And those that cried Appease! Appease! are hanged by those they tried to please!")
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To: Kozak
Having lived in California I had a number of friends who had the "pleasure" of being hit by some illegal with no insurance,

I was almost killed by one a decade ago (in West L.A). He ran a red light with his $200 jalopy going about 50 mph and hit me on the driver's side of my car a couple feet from by door. ...spun my car around about 3 times before it came to a stop. Neither of us were too badly hurt, unbelievably. So he gets out of his car and says "no have licence....no have insurance." I replied "surprise, surprise." Cops got there pretty quickly, but for some reason didn't arrest the guy.

30 posted on 08/23/2003 8:39:24 AM PDT by Mr. Mojo
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To: AppyPappy
"guess it's too much to ask for people to obey the law."

The first step these so called "undocumeted migrants" do is break the law by coming here. After that all laws are subject to voluntary compliance. See here in California, it's only those who have something to lose that must comply.

Case in point: A very good friend of mine is a painting contractor, licensed, insured, bonded, carries the required workman's commpensation insurance, and requires all of his hispanic workers to file and document appropriate I-99 forms, etc. His business has been in steady decline the past several years because hispanics who carry none of the required, licenses, insurances, or document their employees can underbid him on every job. He has been forced to deal in the highly competitive commercial painting sector, where being licensed, insured, etc. is required and audited. Unfortunately the bidding process is long and sometimes corrupt. Meanwhile his children have to compete for classroom space in schools supported by the property taxes he pays with the children of the so called "undocumented migrants."

31 posted on 08/23/2003 8:53:55 AM PDT by 101viking
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To: vetvetdoug
I recommend we all send emails to Orange County, Fullerton, Garden Grove, and the state, commending law enforcement for these actions. I hope they stay with it.
They should call INS and Border Patrol when the confiscate property.
32 posted on 08/23/2003 8:59:12 AM PDT by MCSTex
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To: sarcasm
Impounding cars of un-licensed drivers has been standard policy for many, many years in LA. Often the drivers are given the option of going to jail or having their cars impounded.

Illegals should get both. Let them cool their heels in lock up until the border patrol picks them up.
33 posted on 08/23/2003 9:02:18 AM PDT by moehoward
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To: sarcasm
"They're taking it out on the "ILLEGAL ALIEN" community"
34 posted on 08/23/2003 9:20:53 AM PDT by VU4G10 (Have You Forgotten?)
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To: NoControllingLegalAuthority
If they don't like the lawlessness of "Latin America" which is their home country then why do they come here illegally and proceed to break laws and expect immunity from laws.
If they want to live here they have to learn to live by laws like everyone else.
Don't turn this great country into a banana republic.
35 posted on 08/23/2003 9:25:06 AM PDT by chuckwalla
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To: novacation
The color of the cop doesn't matter it's the color of the law that matters.
These people are just using a slogan to escape laws.
Hmmm, just like where they came from.
36 posted on 08/23/2003 9:27:20 AM PDT by chuckwalla
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To: sarcasm
"It's clear we need to resolve the problem of people driving without licenses in California, but to use traffic laws to seize the property of undocumented immigrants is not the solution," said LULAC
president Hector Flores.

Hector is right... we need to do something about it. We need the cops to drag the illegals straight to the border and toss them out, and lien sale their property, including any real estate they may have, to help cover the costs.

Hector..... you're next, troublemaker.... aiding and abetting these border-jumping sponges is a felony :-)

37 posted on 08/23/2003 9:36:12 AM PDT by Tancredo Fan (Stop the invasion. Put the military on the borders, round up illegals, and tell Fox to shove off.)
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To: Free the USA; Libertarianize the GOP; madfly; Carry_Okie; FITZ; Spiff; Tancredo Fan; ...
Bump-Ping!!!
The Border List TM

FReepmail me to be added or removed...!

38 posted on 08/23/2003 9:46:36 AM PDT by HiJinx (Ok, that's one for today...off to mow the back 40, now.)
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To: sarcasm
Go back to Mexico = Problem Solved.
39 posted on 08/23/2003 9:50:19 AM PDT by bootyist-monk (Thunder makes all the noise; lightning gets the job done)
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To: sarcasm

40 posted on 08/23/2003 9:51:25 AM PDT by Sir Gawain (According to Ashcroft, Al Capone was an alco-terrorist)
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