Tulsa's Hispanic Community Reacts To New Immigration Program
Friday, August 20, 2004 at 07:54AM
TheSpook
Local Law Enforcement Given Broad Powers to begin Deportation Proceedings
Members of Tulsa's Hispanic community want to hear more
about a new program designed to give local officials more control over
immigration issues. Law enforcement agencies announced the plan along
with First District Congressman John Sullivan. It enables officers,
deputies and troopers to detain and even begin deportation proceedings
for some people not in the country legally. Right now federal
authorities have that ability. Sebastian Lantos, Hispanic advocate
"Some police officer might say, you know what I'm going to deport you
even though you have a family and a job and you were driving with a red
light for example, a misdemeanor traffic violation. They could use
that to deport people. That would be my fear." Law enforcement
officers stress only undocumented immigrants caught committing crimes
would be subject to deportation. The pilot program is also underway in
Florida and Alabama. [more ]
Article originally appeared on (http://brownwatch.com/).
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