Last year, APD created a controversial SOP that basically said that officers could not notify federal authorities when they had a reasonable suspicion that a suspect in their custody had entered the country illegally. There was minor furor over the issue and APD quickly "clarified" (read changed) their position on the issue (Read our take here and here).
Last month's triple homicide in San Francisco caused one of the most liberal mayors in the country Gavin Newsome, rescinded the city's policy - a policy that the nutty mayor had actually promoted through a series of public service announcements. (Hat tip: Jim Villanucci)
All of this got us wondering... what is the current policy of APD? We did a little googling and found the following.
Officers shall not inquire about or seek proof of a person's immigration status, unless the person is in custody or is a suspect in a criminal investigation for a nonimmigration criminal violation and the immigration status of the person or suspect is pertinent to the criminal investigation.
At first blush that doesn't look to bad. The problem is that little "and the immigration status of the person or suspect is pertinent to the criminal investigation." What comes before the "and" is really irrelevant. Unless immigration status is "pertinent" to the investigation, officers with reasonable suspicion that a suspect is in this country illegally are prohibited from notifying ICE that they may have an illegal in custody. In reality we're back to being what San Francisco wisely discarded - a sanctuary city.
Our Eyes behind the badge also tell us about another troubling aspect of all of this - illegals receiving state driver's licenses legally. The State of New Mexico will issue "undocumented" aliens a driver's license. These licenses are popping up all over the place and officers see them on a daily basis.All of this has us wondering... In light of the recent spike in murders and the long standing property crime problem, how many of these crimes are being committed by illegals? How many of them have had contact with police and have presented a legal New Mexico license? How much of the crime here in Albuquerque could be prevented by a simple phone call?
We believe that whenever someone enters this country illegally and benefits from taxpayer provided schools, healthcare, etc., they are already guilty of larceny. Officers should be free to pursue notification of appropriate federal authorities whenever they come into contact with someone who they have reason to believe is in this country illegally. Further, the State of New Mexico is knowingly participating in a crime by making it easier for illegals to blend in and access taxpayer funded programs.
It's no surprise that people who come here illegally would be less averse to breaking our other laws. The Almighty Alcalde's first duty as mayor is to protect the public. That means removing the restraints that bind APD and allowing them to use their judgment when interacting with illegals. Let's make Albuquerque a sanctuary for the innocent rather than a play land for criminals. Who knows how many lives we can save?
6 comments:
How would any of what you are saying prevented the triple homicide. It's a big fat red herring of an argument that right wingers like the Eye make but never counter. People, whether they are here legally or illegally will do really bad things irrespective of their immigration status. Unless you can see in the future, there is nothing society can do to stop it.
But your tone and your misdirected anger at illegals getting driver's licenses-which you link in the next paragraph to the "recent spike in murders" (huh?)-sounds more like a skinhead rant made to persuade stupid teenagers to "join the cause." The only thing that will make you happy is a big long wall and a militia there to ensure no one gets in alive. C'mon man, you chose to live in New Mexico. If you don't like illegal hispanics (no one ever mentions illegal Canadians) then move back to whatever safe little white enclave you came from.
I have to respond to the above "People, whether they are here legally or illegally will do really bad things irrespective of their immigration status.
" Posted July 22, 2008 5:55:00 AM MDT
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Here is an analogy that hopefully you can grasp. Have you ever heard the parable about the little kid who, when confronted with thousands of starfish dying on the beach, began tossing the into the ocen one at a time? When told he cant make a difference he throws back one more and says "it makes a difference to that one."
The same thing goes to this argument, if illegals from any country commit 15% of crime or only 1% of crime it doesn't change the fact that if someone had "tossed this one back" when he was in custody in the past this family would be alive.
Look, we have made enourmous changes in law and policy because of the area's DWI problem. Much of those laws are debated in forums like this as being either really good or totally draconian depending on your viewpoint.
However, if you compare the stats of injuries and property damage / loss from drunks to that from illegals you see that we have tightned law on one and loosened the laws on another.
The differences in the two include that drunks are [arguably] suffering from a disease and their bad acts are somewhat predicated on an "accident" while drunk. Illegals KNOWINGLY COMMIT the acts and in fact their first criminal act is comitted the moment they sneak into this country [by statute, not by opinion].
Also the whole "If they were Canadians you wouldn't dislike them" argument loses some merit when you, like I have, have family along that border. I have family farming right alone the N Dakota/ Canadian border and they don't even lock the doors and they have not lost a single vehicle to theft ever.
It is not racist to ask your government to protect you from incursion, it is however a weak argument to always call those you disagree with racist in hopes that will shut them up. Like the boy who cried wolf, that [racist] label is losing its ability to attract a crowd to your side.
Exactly !!!!
How about making Albuquerque a 'sanctuary city' for the homeowners, taxpayers, voters, who contribute to the services provided through what is called taxes.
Can you protect your citizenss rights like you do your illegal aliens, and the ideals fo your liberal friends?
80% of active warrants for homicide, within the southwestern states, are for illegal immigrants from Mexico. Local law enforcement should have the authority to ask for citizenship and, when necessary, arrest and notify federal agencies. Bill the Foreign country for the cost of incarceration, legal fees, and transportation to the border. If they refuse shut the border down. It's time the government takes care of it's own. You do not have to stop those who are entering the country legally.
Cuba sent us their worst...Mexico is doing the same. For those who support them, move to the foreign country and fight the battle from their side. American citizens are tired of carrying this burden. We have enough on our plate as it is. Start holding other countries accountable!! You don't see US citizens leaving the country illegally (unless they are running from the law).
For those that are supporting the illegals...let them live with you and in your neighborhood .....that will last all of 5 seconds.
hey dumbass, if we had a bourder insted of a "Walt Disney" turn style those particuler illegals would not be here to commit those particuler murders. Those particuler victoms would still be alive, and that maters to that particuler family. I can't go any where in the world with out proper documentation. I obay the laws of my country and the laws of the country I am visiting. If I break the law to get in a country how can anyone expect that I will obay the laws of that country? The U.S. is the most generous country in the world. However, if we can't control who comes into our county we can't protect our citizens, and that is our first priority. To insure the safty of the people who are already here. Of whatever race. I don't care as long as they are AMERICANS. I am not annonomus. I am Layton Johns.
Boy am I confused. I have been hammered with the propaganda that it is the Iraq war and the war on terror that is bankrupting us.
I now find that to be RIDICULOUS
I have included the URL's for verification of all the following facts.
1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year.
Verify at: http://tinyurl.c om/zob77
2. $2. 2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://www.cis..org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html
3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://www.cis..org/articles/2004/fiscalexec..html
4. $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English!
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.0..html
5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies.
Verify at http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
7. 30% percent of all Federal al Prison inmates are illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare & social services by the American taxpayers.
Verify at: http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.html
9. $200 Billion Dollars a year in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
10. The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that's two and a half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In particular, their children, are going to make a huge additional crime problem in the US
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/1 2/ldt.01.html
11. During the year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 MILLION illegal aliens that crossed our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth, heroin and marijuana, crossed into the U. S from the Southern border.
Verify at: Homeland Security Report: http://tinyurl.com/t9sht
12. &The National Policy Institute, 'estimated that the total cost of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period.'
Verify at: http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute.org/pdf/deportation.pdf
13. In 2006 illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances back to their countries of origin.
Verify at: http://www.rense.com/general75/niht.htm
14. 'The Dark Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One Million Sex Crimes Committed by Illegal Immigrants In The United States.'
Verify at: http://www.drdsk.com/articleshtml
The total cost is a whopping $ 338.3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
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