Officials urge federal agents to stop immigration raids

Waterbury Republican-American ^ | June 12, 2007 | AP Wire

[Graybeard58]

NEW HAVEN City officials urged federal authorities Monday to suspend any more raids looking for illegal immigrants, saying an operation last week violated the law.

New Haven Mayor John DeStefano said he is filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security over a raid Wednesday that led to about 30 arrests, including many in immigrants' homes. He said Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents failed to notify local authorities of the operation and lacked search warrants.

"They pushed into homes without warrants," DeStefano said. "This was just very aggressive intervention."

The city plans to forward witness statements to federal officials describing how parents were arrested in front of their children.

Agents refused to identify themselves and told those in the houses to shut up, according to the statements.

Authorities took those arrested to facilities around New England, officials said. Bond hearings are planned later this week in Hartford.

"I just can't see how you can't view them as frightening in terms of respecting the rights of people, whether they're documented or undocumented," DeStefano said.

DeStefano, who called for an investigation of the complaints, also said the operation raised concerns of racial profiling. Most of those arrested were Hispanic.

Bruce Chadbourne, field office director for ICE, said officers had permission to enter the homes from those present and acted professionally. He said the agency did notify New Haven police weeks before the operation about executing warrants and denied engaging in racial profiling.

Chadbourne said he would temporarily suspend the specific operation the city complained about because of the publicity.

"I don't want to put the lives of my officers in jeopardy on the street," Chadbourne said. "We're going after some dangerous people. I don't want my officers hurt."

But Chadbourne said enforcement actions against illegal immigration would not stop. "We're not apologizing for enforcing the immigration laws of the United States," he said.

Connecticut Sens. Christopher Dodd and Joseph I. Lieberman and Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro also asked Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff for clarification about the way in which the raid was conducted and its timing.

"Several aspects of the enforcement operation have raised concerns for us, the mayor of New Haven, and many residents in Connecticut," the lawmakers wrote in a letter.

The operation came two days after the city approved a program to make municipal identification cards available to illegal immigrants. City officials say the raid appeared to be retaliatory for the ID cards, but ICE officials have said the raids had nothing to do with the city's approval of the ID program.

New Haven has been more welcoming to immigrants than many places, offering federal tax help and prohibiting police from asking about their immigration status.

Although city police would not assist with such raids, DeStefano said local authorities should be notified in advance to ensure federal agents do not walk into a dangerous situation or interfere with a separate investigation.

Michael Wishnie, a Yale law professor who is representing most of those arrested, said there were deportation orders for four of 32 people arrested.

"You can't use an arrest warrant to go into a home to arrest whoever happens to be there," Wishnie said. "They lacked consent and the lacked a search warrant. These home invasions were unlawful."

[Graybeard58]

But Chadbourne said enforcement actions against illegal immigration would not stop. "We're not apologizing for enforcing the immigration laws of the United States," he said.

Give the man a medal.

[darkwing104]

Feds trump cities...Too frigging bad.

[Kevmo]

“I just can’t see how you can’t view them as frightening in terms of respecting the rights of people, whether they’re documented or undocumented,” DeStefano said.
***What rights are those? Are they delineated in the constitution?

[Bruinator]

If they are illegal, why is notification necessary? They are not citizens and therefore not afforded the priveledges of the Constitution.

[rockrr]

You grabbed the money quote!

We need 5-10 thousand more just like him!

[griswold3]

Anyone wonder why the hesitation to enforce existing law?
Chadbourne sworn to uphold the law against the odds!
I call that bravery.

[K-oneTexas]

Bust the Mayor for obstruction and stupidity!

[wolfcreek]

“I just can’t see how you can’t view them as frightening in terms of respecting the rights of people, whether they’re documented or undocumented,” DeStefano said.

Must be a Lib. They said the same about Iraqi homes.

[vetsvette]

“But Chadbourne said enforcement actions against illegal immigration would not stop.”

Looks like another likely target for Federal prosecutors.

[rednesss]

"also said the operation raised concerns of racial profiling"

What he was expecting this:

We come from France.

[Loyolas Mattman]

Hey, you can’t say that. That’s racist!!!

[Sgt_Schultze]

Not seeing a party listed, I assumed DeStafano to be a democrat. I was correct. I wanted to see what stupidity looks like so I visited the website for the mayor's office.

About as I expected. He must be worried that he is losing voters.

[taxed2death]

“NEW HAVEN City officials urged federal authorities Monday to suspend any more raids looking for illegal immigrants, saying an operation last week violated the law.”

Ok, WTF is wrong with that sentence.

Selective law enforcement?

They’re ok with illegals...who violated the law....yet they’re upset at the Feds....who supposedly violated the law.

WTF......over?

[ndt]

"They are not citizens and therefore not afforded the priveledges of the Constitution."

So you don't seem accept that our rights were provided by our creator? You seem to think they are provided by the constitution?

Hint, the Constitution only outlines our inalienable rights, it does not create them.

[Moonman62]

"Several aspects of the enforcement operation have raised concerns for us, the mayor of New Haven,

... said as he mowed his own lawn for the first time in several years.

[AuntB]

Just got this list from Numbers USA.

REPUBLICANS MOST LIKELY TO SWITCH TO AMNESTY TODAY
(* Senators up for re-election in 2008)

* Alexander (R-TN)
Bennett (R-UT)
* Cochran (R-MS)
* Coleman (R-MN)
* Collins (R-ME)
* Cornyn (R-TX)
* Craig (R-ID)
* Domenici (R-NM)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lott (R-MS)
* McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
* Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Stevens (R-AK)
* Warner (R-VA)

To slow this down, please phone Republican Senators on the list below THIS MINUTE.

202-224-3121

[CT]

Turn-coat Gordon Smith of Oregon must have had a come to God meeting. He's on The Lars Larson Show right now, telling anyone that will listen how he has always been suspicious of this Immigration package.

KEEP UP THE PRESSURE.

ICE also had a big public raid today on a Delmonte (sp) cannery in North Portland. Claim they arrested 600.

To which I say 'great.' Try this for another 5 years, then talk to me about letting in some legal immigrants.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

“They pushed into homes without warrants,”
Hmmm, didn’t the criminal illegal aliens push their way into our country without permission?

[ndt]

"Hmmm, didn’t the criminal illegal aliens push their way into our country without permission?"

Since when does a criminals conduct allow law enforcement to ignore the law?

[HeartlandOfAmerica]

offering federal tax help

OBVIOUSLY we pay FAR too much for taxes in this country :(

[Heartland Mom]

NEW HAVEN City officials urged federal authorities Monday to suspend any more raids looking for illegal immigrants, saying an operation last week violated the law. Whoa! That is huge - hasn't the press usually referred to them as undocumented workers?

[HeartlandOfAmerica]

Hint: Mexicans are covered and protected by the Mexican constitution. Americans are covered and protected by the American Constitution.

[2nd amendment mama]

From another article re this....

New Haven Register Article The city's congressional delegation — Democratic Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, Independent Joseph I. Lieberman and U.S. Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-New Haven — also wrote to Chertoff basically asking the same questions posed by DeStefano and if ICE contacted social service agencies to ensure the families left behind would be helped.

They're worried if social services had been called...sheesh! I wonder if they'd be worried if social services had been called if a heterosexual white man or woman had been arrested for any charge....NOT!

This crap has got to stop. It's time that the politicians spent as much time taking care of the American citizens as as they do worring about these f%$*ing illegals in our country.

[ndt]

"Hint: Mexicans are covered and protected by the Mexican constitution. Americans are covered and protected by the American Constitution."

Not on our soil they aren't. Unless you are suggesting that Mexico has authority to legislate on U.S. soil, then it is our constitution that rules here.

[TaxxMann]

AMNESTY IS THE DEMOCRATS ANSWER TO THEIR ABORTION PROBLEM.

[muawiyah]

More like he's losing $10 a month per head.

This guy is into the same sort of business General Bradford Forrest was into before the Civil War.

[Irish Luck]

The mayor is probably afraid to lose his lawn care service when the next raid goes down...

[Fee]

CALLING AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT AN IMMIGRANT IS LIKE CALLING A SHOPLIFTER A CUSTOMER.

[ndt]

OK, so lets sum up the psudo-conservative opinion by post ..

#2 - Applauding federalisim

#3,#22 - Suggesting that rights are given by the constitution and not the creator and therefore rights are not inalienable.

#4,#18 - Guilt without trial is A-OK!

#18 - Law enforcement is above the law.

This is not conservative, this is a xenophobic D.U. thread

[Irish Luck]

That’s Nathan Bedford Forrest, not Bradford Forrest of Civil War fame.

[Cacique]

This is not over yet. Bush refuses to give up this easily. It's his stubborn character. He will try to resurrect it and call it something else. We have to keep our guard up. We need to keep the pressure up.

STAGE TWO is to go after the people who hire illegals. Start giving them fines and arresting them. Just catch ten or 100 of them on the nightly news. The magnet will dry up and most of the 12 million will go home by themselves.

As an addendum, we should anonymously call the IRS, people working "off the books" means taxes ain't being paid. Make anonymous fliers and hang them around the neighborhood, name names. It's time to embarrass these bustards, whether they give to the GOP or Rats, we don't need them.

CALL! CALL! CALL! CALL! AND KEEP CALLING TILL THE LINES FRY!

WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! TILL YOU RUN OUT OF INK IN YOUR PEN!

Bombard the Democrats as well, especially the ones that ran on an anti illegal immigration plank and the ones in marginal districts who could be vulnerable. keep pounding on them. This is a bipartisan issue not a Conservative or Liberal issue BUT AN AMERICAN issue.

STOP AMNESTY NOW!! WE CAN DO IT!!

The best way to stop Shamnesty

[slow5poh]

So I am trying to understand what you are trying to say. Are you saying that people who came here illegally should have rights here? And that we should not be allowed to deport them? I am confused as to what you mean.

[2ndDivisionVet]

2008 Republican Presidential Primary
National Poll: Giuliani 24% Thompson 24%

[gubamyster]

ping

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

Ditto!

[2ndDivisionVet]

Just say NO to Amnesty!! Keep calling!! It’s NOT OVER!!

U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121

U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121

White House comments: (202) 456-1111

Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep

Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

[Dr. Marten]

“I just can’t see how you can’t view them as frightening in terms of respecting the rights of people, whether they’re documented or undocumented,”

Who gives a rats ass! Constitutional rights only apply to Citizens.

[ndt]

"So I am trying to understand what you are trying to say. Are you saying that people who came here illegally should have rights here? And that we should not be allowed to deport them? I am confused as to what you mean. "

They do have rights here, including a right to a trial. The constitution applies.

If law enforcement can bust down an illegals door without a warrant then they can bust down anyones door, including yours and mine. The whole reason for the warrant is to require evidence of a crime before the search. If you eliminate that requirement in any case, then there is no reason they cant bust in yours without evidence either, you would have to prove your innocence (i.e. citizenship).

The views espoused by many on this thread are the antithesis of conservative thought.

"And that we should not be allowed to deport them?"

I never said that.

[ndt]

"Constitutional rights only apply to Citizens."

Not much of a constitutional scholar are you?

[muawiyah]

Onliest “Nat” I recognize from the good old days is Nat Turner, who was on the other side of the deal.

[muawiyah]

You have only the word of a corrupt mayor concerning the way ICE did the raids.

What makes you think the mayor is telling the truth and ICE is operating outside of legal process and authority?

[ndt]

"You have only the word of a corrupt mayor concerning the way ICE did the raids."

My comments were in response to other posters asinine suggestions not so much the story itself.

[muawiyah]

We have bilateral and multilatral treaties that protect foreign nationals on our soil.

Every now and then you'll hear of such and so country signing a treaty of amity and commerce with some other country. Such treaties usually mean each country will no longer summarily rob, execute and toss into the crick citizens of the other country.

However, none of these treaties give foreign nationals rights superior to citizens.

[muawiyah]

Make sure your comments are comprehensive. Else, your fundamental thesis may become compromised.

[Kevmo]

Then answer the question in #3, sparky:
What rights are those? Are they delineated in the constitution?

[ndt]

"Make sure your comments are comprehensive."

Read in context, they make sense to me, but then I did write them.

[ndt]

"However, none of these treaties give foreign nationals rights superior to citizens."

Nor even equal to the rights of the citizenz (no voting rights for example). That is a long way from claiming that illegal aliens have no rights as many here are. The U.S. legal system has long accepted that aliens, even illegal one have among other rights, a right to a trial and equal protection under the law.

[eyedigress]

Alexander will I'm sure.

I've got a problem with the FED moving in without States knowledge or support. I do not want this issue to completely transcend States Rights. This smacks of Washington trumping everyone.

[kabar]

All for show until this new bill is passed and then everyone is legal. Then Mr Chadbourne will become a recruiter of illegals helping them get their Z visas.

[ndt]

"What rights are those? Are they delineated in the constitution?"

Please show me in the constitution and Bill of Rights where they are limited only to citizens. No emanations please.