Justice: Some FL officers to enforce immigration law [Jeb, the USDOJ and a 1996 federal law]

AP ^ | July 21, 2002 | Christopher Newton

[summer]

Justice: Some Florida officers to enforce immigration law

Sunday, July 21, 2002

By CHRISTOPHER NEWTON, Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A group of law enforcement officers in Florida will be given the ability to enforce immigration laws in cases involving terrorism and national security, Justice Department officials announced.

Most local law enforcement officers do not have the authority to detain or arrest a person solely on immigration charges.

Immigration advocacy groups and many police departments have long fought against police having that power, arguing that illegal immigrants will be reluctant to call police for help out of fear they might be arrested or deported.

Florida and the Justice Department agreed July 2 that 35 "experienced, seasoned law enforcement personnel" could receive formal training from the INS on various aspects of federal immigration laws and the enforcement of those laws, according to Justice officials.

After completion of that training, which began July 9, the officers will be assigned to seven regional domestic security task forces across Florida, the department announced Friday.

Attorney General John Ashcroft made the case for such agreements in a speech last month.

Justice Department attorneys have concluded that states have the authority to let police arrest immigrants who have violated immigration laws or civil provisions that render an alien deportable, and who are listed on a database of suspected criminals, Ashcroft said.

The Justice Department "has no plans to seek additional support from state and local law enforcement in enforcing our nation's immigration laws, beyond our narrow anti-terrorism mission," he said.

John Alcorn, an immigration attorney in Irvine, Calif., said that would be an impossible line to draw.

"How do you assure that these officers will only be used in cases of terrorism?" Alcorn said. "The truth of the immigrant's innocence or guilt will be determined after they are arrested. This will chill the immigrant community and lead to less people willing to report crime."

Angela Kelley, a director of the National Immigration Forum, a Washington-based immigration advocacy group, said the decision would be terrifying to many immigrants.

"We are completely baffled and scratching our heads," Kelley said. "The stakes are very high for the immigrant community. This kind of provision will leave people quite terrified to report crimes or be witnesses in court."

Kelley said the Justice Department has confused the law, arguing that states have inherent authority to allow police to enforce immigration laws and, at the same time, arguing states must only do so in a limited fashion.

"You can't have it both ways," Kelley said.

Supporters of expanding police power say the Immigration and Naturalization Service, with 2,000 agents, lacks the staff to track suspected terrorists, much less an estimated 8 million illegal immigrants scattered throughout the country.

In 1996, Congress passed a law stating that police can only enforce immigration laws when state and federal officials formally agree. The agreement announced Friday by Florida and the Justice Department was reached under that law.

The Justice Department said the 35 police officers in Florida will not use their power to pursue crime unrelated to terrorism investigations.

"The agreement is very specific in its intent and objective to protect the residents of Florida from acts of terrorism," the department said. "The authority to enforce federal immigration laws does not extend to the more conventional enforcement actions that the INS carries out every day in Florida."

[summer]

FYI.

[summer]

OK, I know it doesn't solve the entire problem - but,
it is still a lot more than other states are willing to do.

[summer]

FYI.

[summer]

For index.

[summer]

ASHCREOFT = ASHCROFT

[TwoStep]

A good start ~~ **Bump**

[JulieRNR21]

Thanks for the ping...this sounds like the right decision...to protect Americans.

[MeekOneGOP]

Bush bump!

[henderson field]

In a broader interpretation of local law, community police are hired and paid for one thing and one thing only: to protect local citizens, including protection from immigrants, legal or otherwise. That's what I pay MY police for. If that's not what they think they're being paid for, I am waiting for my tax refund. It should go futher than that: individuals on juries should be able to specify deportation as a punishment. The INS has proven that it cannot do this effectively or without the influence of corruption.

[summer]

I still think this is a step in the right direction.
BTW, did you know Diane Von Furstenberg, the fashion designer who I believe has lived in the US for decades, just became an American citizen last week? I think this trend will continue - become an American or risk being deported.

[summer]

Thanks for your comments here. I know there are a lot of people afraid of any changes being made as a result of 9-11, but as I have repeatedly said before, even though some people do not believe me -- Gov. Bush made it very clear he was getting tough on this problem, and would not allow FL to be the home of future terrorists. So, this recent act does not surprise me. Terrorists are not welcome in FL and they are finding that out more and more each day.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

The reason these immigration groups don't want the local police enforcing immigration law is because, unlike the INS, they know the police will be effective. It has nothing to do with fear the illegals won't report crime, that's a smokescreen unfortunately some in law enforcement are buying.

[rightofrush]

OK, I know it doesn't solve the entire problem - but, it is still a lot more than other states are willing to do.

So sad, so true.

BTW, how's the book coming?

[doc]

What a concept, law officials enforcing the law!

[summer]

Re your post #12 - Actually, I think it could have a chilling effect, as described in this article, but the bigger chill will be that illegals will not want to reside in a state not offering them every benefit under the sun. Here in this state illegals can not get a driver's license, while in other states they want to give illegals drivers licenses, free college tution, etc. FL is also about to release or start a study on the impact of illegals on the hospital care system, and I think this is just one more way the state is saying to illegals: don't come here.

Now, is all that "bad"? I guess it depends on whether one supports the illegal population or wants to stop the flow of illegal immigration. IMO, FL is becoming less and less of a haven for illegals because of laws like this one. And, speaking as a teacher who has taught in public schools overwhelmed by the immigrant population here in FL, I don't think it's so bad to want to keep a tighter rein on FL's borders. Yes, my grandparents were immigrants too, but they quickly became American citizens, they fought for this country, and the post 9-11 climate is a lot different than what we previously faced as a country.

[summer]

Hey! Nice to hear from you. My children's book career is on the blink this week-- as is my computer!

: (

[summer]

Well, Gov. Bush has received overwhelming support and all the endorsements of FL's law enforcement agencies. I think he is very much a law and order type of gov. Thanks for your post.

[mafree]

GO JEB!!

[Reaganwuzthebest]

George Pataki might want to learn something from Jeb Bush. Florida is doing exactly what the rest of the country should be doing. I guess each state like NY has to learn the hard way before they take the proper steps to get illegal immigration under control.

[summer]

I think NY will never be serious about getting rid of illegal aliens. The entire restaurant business in Manhattan would have to first undergo a radical change, as would many other industries, since these businesses thrive on illegal alien workers. FL is a little different now because of the fact so many hijackers were living here. It seems to me more illegals are trying to become citizens, and if they can not, I think they may move. FL is not standing still on these matters - it does not want to be the home of the next set of hijackers, though it would not surprise me in the least if they are all living and working in NY right now.