Blow your mind with immigration policies in Los Angeles

Blow your mind with immigration policies in Los Angeles
Current mood: irate
Category: Life

Gang crackdown raises touchy issue
Questioning suspects' immigration status has been taboo for L.A. police. But the results of jail screenings revive calls to relax that policy.
By Patrick McGreevy, Times Staff Writer
March 10, 2007

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-gangs10mar10,0,7829803.story?coll=la-home-local

A spot check by federal agents has identified 59 street gang members in Southern California jails who are illegal immigrants subject to deportation, sparking a debate about the role of border enforcement in the region's battle against violent gangs.

The initial identification of deportable gang members came during a first-of-its-kind screening of a portion of jail inmates last month.

The review will continue, and officials expect during the first year to identify 700 to 800 gang members who are illegal immigrants, according to Jim Hayes, director of the Los Angeles field office for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The results so far have some officials convinced that border enforcement needs to be a big part of combating the gang problem.

"We play a vital role with respect to foreign nationals who are in gangs here," Hayes said.

The focus on immigration status comes as the city of Los Angeles is calling on federal agencies to help it crack down in response to last year's 15.7% increase in gang crime.

Some say it also shows the need for agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department, to loosen policies that generally prohibit officers from asking about the immigration status of anyone they question.

"It helps to show that cooperation between the LAPD and immigration officials should help reduce gang violence" IF a suspect is ultimately deported, said Paul Orfanedes, litigation director for Judicial Watch.

The Washington, D.C.-based group has sued the LAPD to overturn Special Order 40, the rule that PROHIBITS officers from asking about immigration status, arguing that the department is required to enforce all laws.

The policy has been loosened slightly, allowing gang officers to ask about the immigration status of suspects only when they recognize them as having been previously deported.

As recently as last week, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio "Villaraigosa" rejected the argument that eliminating Special Order 40 would help in the battle against gangs.

"Every police chief since Daryl Gates has supported Special Order 40," Villaraigosa told reporters. "They have because they understand that in a city as under-policed as Los Angeles is, we need to focus on crime. We need to ensure that the victims of crime, the witnesses of crime come forward. We don't want them to believe we're going to report them to ICE when they do come forward and report a crime." Hahah, what a fuckin joke!

Officials with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund express similar concern. They say they do not oppose the deportation of convicted criminals by federal authorities but believe rescinding Special Order 40 would be a setback because without it some witnesses to gang crimes who are not legally in the country might be unwilling to cooperate with police.Well if they aren't here in the first place, they can't COMMIT these crimes, so the theory is a joke!!!

"We believe on balance it promotes public safety rather than precludes public safety," said Cynthia Valenzuela, national litigation director for MALDEF.Bullshit!!!

The mayor said it is the federal government's job to enforce immigration laws.A scape goat to protect his "people" and the take-over of California!!

Hayes, the immigration official, agreed that his agency can do more, which is why it has begun determining whether jail inmates red-flagged for immigration violations are gang members.

The Times reported last month that an increase in screeners allowed authorities to question nearly 10,000 of the 170,000 inmates who went through county jails last year about their immigration status.(Yes that says ten thousand to a hundred and seventy THOUSAND inmates who went through the system were asked about their IMMIGRATION status!!)

The number red-flagged — those who face possible deportation once they serve their sentences — went from 3,050 in 2005 to 5,829 last year.And its only just begun! Wait until we figure out which ones have false paperwork!

The immigration agency began last month, for the first time, to identify deportable gang members.

For the month of February, 290 inmates at Los Angeles County jails were determined to be in this country illegally, and 24 of those, about 8%, were determined to be associated with street gangs.

A similar survey was done for the 816 inmates red-flagged in jails in the seven Southern California counties served by Hayes' office. That survey, which includes Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, identified 59 gang members, or 7% of those facing deportation.

On any given day, Los Angeles County jails have about 19,500 inmates, including about 4,500 gang members, said Steve Whitmore, a Sheriff's Department spokesman. He said up to 25% of the inmates in the jail are believed to be foreign nationals.These statistics are just mind blowing!!! And uncalled for in American society!!

Hayes said those flagged for deportation and identified as gang members may get additional attention to determine whether they had been deported before and returned to the U.S., which could result in federal prosecution and prison time before they are sent out of the country.

Hayes cited as an example the case of Joaquin Gutierrez Payan, a member of the Sureño street gang in Los Angeles.

Payan had been sent to prison for assault with a deadly weapon in a Los Angeles case and was also wanted in Mexico for murder. A native of Juarez, Payan just completed a prison term for the crime here and was turned over to Mexican authorities this week to face allegations that he raped and murdered a cocktail waitress in Juarez more than two years ago.

A check of his immigration status after his conviction for the L.A. crime found that Payan was in the United States after previously being deported to Mexico.Start chopping heads off, I hear that works to get people's attention!

patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com

11:19 PM - 11 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
I Got My Reasons


This is pretty much a no-brainer, so I figured I'd comment (wait that doesn't sound right, lol)... no I figured I'd comment because here I'd break the mold of the "liberal" corner you have me painted into.

Of course you should do this!! Why the hell not?

I live in New York City and I have been here since we were dodging bullets in the 80's... am I happy the city is now THE safest large city in the US? OF COURSE I AM.

One of the reasons is tougher law enforcement. This includes inovations like a database that tracks all offenders and background checks on people who commit "quality of life" offenses, like hopping subway turnstiles. SUPRISE SUPRISE, a lot of people who do this stuff have outstanding warrants for other offenses.

Then there are gun laws. We have the TOUGHEST. You pack heat illegally and get caught, 2.5 years MINIMUM automatic sentence. We also have enacted volunteer tracking of out-of-state gun stores' inventories, and guess what? Gun violence is WAY down in NYC.

I guess that fits the label "liberal" because we'd rather be safe from unessesary gun violence than suck up to the NRA. But here it's just SMART. Yesterday a bunch of activist lawyers took away Washington DC's tough law on possesion of guns, much to the chagrin of the mayor, who wants to save lives. I guess he must be some liberal loser too?

Any policy that can be enacted that is legal and slows or stops criminal and gang activity should be adopted. If those policies make the NRA nervous, then FUCK the NRA. Some hick lobbyist from Alabama isn't going to fuck up my city.

As for illegals who commit violent crimes, fuck them too.

Posted by I Got My Reasons on Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 8:26 AM
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Nevada Lights


1. I never painted you into a corner. I actually like you and have been listening to what you have to say. And the more you say, the more I'm becoming convinced that you may have a liberal background and probably a lot of liberal friends, I think you are more of the hippie yuppy that you described.

2. I think what you know about Conservatives is way, WAY off. I think you have probably become educated about Conservatives by word of mouth or media influences. The last comment you left on Bible Studies in Georgia blog outright insulted me! You said many, many things that certainly aren't true about me OR my friends. No one is trying to control the lives of others, we're the ones fighting the constant liberal Nazi movement overtaking OUR lives. We're the ones saying "hey, we all have to live together, lets try to work something out. The libs are the ones saying "no, you cant smoke around me, you cant smoke in the same building as me, you can't even smoke outside!!" Come on, it's smoking! Everyone in Asia smokes, what are we going to do in the real world when we've made all of these commie-type "laws" here in the USA. The libs are so worried about how me relate to the rest of the world, where are they on this one? Smoking is a legal activity!! I was at a school in California where the drug rates are high in the schools, and at the football game everyone had to whatch while these idiots cut up a giant cigarette - completely ignoring the fact of drugs. Why not focus on something illegal rather than legal???? The difference between liberals and Conservatives is that liberals think of only themselves. Conservatives think about the situation of all. Usually!

And again, from talking to you I wouldn't say you are a liberal in most cases.

3. Conservatives aren't worried about sucking up to the NRA. We are worried about the Government coming in to take our guns away because this is the American lifestyle. Just a hundred years ago we were cowboys and indians. Our guns are what validate our Freedoms from a Government overthrow. Think it can't happen???? Yes it could! The more of our Freedoms that we vote away, the more the Government owns us. It's getting to the point that we live in a communist Country. Look at illegal immigration - as cut and dry as it is, look at the battles the People have to go through just to have American law upheld. They're ILLEGAL! They should be sent home, no questions asked!!! Yet we have to fight and fight. Our Government is too big, involved in too many peoples lives and there are far too many laws. Americans are not stupid people, we can self-govern our own homes. It's these immigrants, the criminals, they are the ones who must be punished, not the general public.

3. You say we need more laws, we already HAVE laws in place but special interests are modifying them to suit whatever they want. We don't need more laws, we need to uphold the ones we already have. Americans should be able to enjoy their land, their Freedoms, to persue a happy life, etc. Laws don't bring about those things........

Posted by Nevada Lights on Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 10:45 AM
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I Got My Reasons


My experience with Conservatives is first-hand (there are some here, although they are mostly from out-of-town), and I can only speak from experience. I'm not sure what I said that you found insulting but I wouldn't intentionally do that. (OK, well I would but "lightly")

I'll stand by what I said re Conservatives and social issues. The ONLY woman I know who I'd consider a nymphomaniac is a hard-core Conservative of the "nuke em all" variety. She likes to pee on people, be spanked, shoot her OWN porno, says she "masterbates constantly"... this is ONE person I know firsthand. (God, I LOVE NYC!!) I'd probably hook up with her too but shes been with like 7 guys already this year... I'd send you her myspace but she's actually a freind so I won't. She's also a drug addict and alcoholic. So the Mark Foleys and Steve Haggards of the world are just more of the same. It's the lesson of the Victorian era and the Catholic Church... repression leads to deviancy. I'll stand buy that. Of course, as a liberal I don't hate any of these folks for that. And if I find one whos less likely to have a fresh STD, I might even be tempted.

As far as guns go, whatever. I'm glad NYC is safe and it saddens me that places like Houston are crime ridden hellholes with very high murder rates. I'm sure Vegas is catching up. So we can all wear white powdered wigs and knickers and talk about our "rights" or enjoy the other right guaranteed by the constitution: the right to the pursuit of happiness. Not having someone pop a cap in my ass SEEMS to be involved here, just to go out on a limb...

And yeah, a LAW that puts a guy away for 2.5 years for illegal firearms possesion in NYC that doesn't even EXIST in Las Vegas, yeah, that helps my pursuit of happiness... so you'd be wrong about that.

Watch your back!!

Posted by I Got My Reasons on Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 11:57 AM
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Nevada Lights


You're a spaz! I can't even believe you would define a drug addicted (sounds like prostitute) alcoholic person with sexual issues as a Conservative. That just confirms that you are WAY off base about us.

I'm kinky, I like to tie men up, I like being Dominant and I love latex. I don't smoke, I hate cigarettes (but I love cigars), I don't drink, I don't do any drugs and I don't take any medications. I get high on a mountain top. I enjoy hanging out with my daughter, going to Magic Mountain, etc. I cuss, I drink tons of coffee, I dress like a total slob and I spend way too much time screwing around on MySpace.

New York City is a far cry from Las Vegas and might I add, you have a very HIGH rate of illegal immigration there! Maybe the invaders are helping you to lose your "Rights" - which apparently you have a negative attitude about "Rights". You see them as something totally different than I do. To me, Rights are something that I'm entitled to and some criminals shouldn't take them away from me. New York City should allow everyone to have a gun and then you would have NO crime! Smoke on that!

Yeah, I think I can handle myself without Uncle Sam holding my hand. You apparently think differently.

I'm not sure what you think a LAW is going to do to keep guns out of the hands of CRIMINALS. 2.5 years in jail isn't shit for someone who's planning on robbing a bank. I mean, they'll technically only have the gun ON them just prior to the robbery, yes? Unless you get caught in that time frame, maybe you won't get any penalty.

Posted by Nevada Lights on Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 12:15 PM
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I Got My Reasons


Dude... it's a statistical fact that these laws help lower gun fatalities. You can talk all you like about it but the facts are that.

New York City, tough gun laws: lower gun crime.

Houston: cowboy gun laws, highest murder rate (after New Orleans now), highest gun fatality rate (including accidents)... which part of this don't you understand?

New York City isn't UNCLE Sam, BTW... we outlawed trans fats in our resturants!! You think the Fed will do that anytime soon? Not while Dick Cheney is still getting stents put in...

Uhm, you aren't really rebutting my argument re conservatives... she's just ONE of a few I know who have kinky traits (I'm not including the gay men I know who are Conservative). Dominance is the psych 101 thing I was talking about before. If it makes you feel better she's off of the drugs and alcohol. I could tell you other stories about Conservative women but why... you pretty much prove my point very well.

You don't find it IRONIC that someone who likes to wear latex, tie people up, etc, wants to impose socially "conservative" values on society at large?

That's what MOST people call contradiction.

I call this woman a Conservative because that's what she calls herself... hardcore Bush person, LOVES the death penalty, LOVES the war on Iraq, thinks we should LOCK UP all Muslims, etc etc etc.

You think this couldn't just as accurately describe Anne Coulter? Someone's spanking that ass. (Thank God it's not me)

Posted by I Got My Reasons on Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 12:32 PM
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Nevada Lights


You libs are the ones saying don't judge, yet you are judging ME on my sexual behavior? As well as your friends?? Thats weak!

What I do in my bedroom has nothing to do with my ability to do a job.

You are very judgemental.


Posted by Nevada Lights on Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 12:42 PM
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I Got My Reasons


Oh, good answer re gun control, too!! LOL.

Posted by I Got My Reasons on Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 12:44 PM
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I Got My Reasons


I never said I judge it, it's just DIFFERENT from what you preach. Isn't it?

Posted by I Got My Reasons on Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 12:43 PM
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Nevada Lights


But I don't see how you get "Conservative Values imposed on everyone" ......

I'm saying gun laws should be more lax, you want stricter gun laws. If everyone had a gun, criminals would think 2, 3 times before committing a crime.

I'm saying punish the criminals and be more strict on criminals rather than the general public (who for the most part, are good!) and you're saying no, chip away at people's Rights for the common good of the collective. Don't you think that leads to communism eventually??

I'm saying just because I don't like cigarettes I shouldn't tell everyone else not to smoke, you support strict smoking bans.

I'm saying I like kinky sex and what people do behind closed doors is their business and you're saying but isn't it ironic that you like kinky sex but want to impose things on others. I don't get where Im trying to impose anything on anyone. Conserve means to keep things the way they are. America has a way of life, a culture, a society and I want to conserve those things, that's why I am so irate about the illegal situation. However, just because I'm Conservative and I tie my husband up and use him for sex doesn't mean I am somehow projecting that through illegal immigration protest. I don't get your point. I guess I don't get whatever it is that you "think" I preach...

I'm not racist, I'm not judgmental, I'm not selfish, I'm not a drunk, I don't beat my kids.....

I bet you support abortion too, huh!

How can you sit there and say that what I want contradicts who I am when the liberal movement does far more to attack people - Human Beings - than any other establishment in society.

Let's look at Affirmative Action. So the workforce is filled with unemployable people because of sex or race or whatever else. A Government program is established to FORCE feed these people into the workforce by means of intimidation to companies by the Government.

Now let's look at the true impact of that process.

1. You are not advancing the people hired through this action because whether they are qualified or not, the company and the employees that must hire them and already consider them pathetic, less than desirable and likely treat them as such.

2. The employee is expected to perform duties for which he/she is not qualified to do and therefor lowers the quality of work for the company, which in turn does what for American craftsmanship?? That's right, it lowers it. What does that do for international trust, value and future opportunities?

3. Other people are not shown the same opportunities because the Affirmative Action program promotes some while declining others. This is not only racist, but unfair, uncalled for and Un-Constitutional.

Affirmative Action should have been an educational program to give people true value, true self-appreciation, and true achievement. The liberal movement wanted a quick fix, instant gratification at the cost of tax payers so they implemented without caring. Every single step this Government makes should be passed through the PEOPLE - not the Government! The Government is a big giant rusty screw job to the American society.

Tell me how I'm trying to impose on you, Sir.

Posted by Nevada Lights on Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 1:55 PM
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DRAGON RIDER


GIVE IT UP MY FRIEND. HE BEEN INTO THE KOOL AID A BIT TOO MUCH.

Posted by DRAGON RIDER on Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 9:50 PM
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Nevada Lights


I at minimum expected a reply to my "I'm not judegmental - I bet you support abortion" line but I didn't even get that. Not even a mockery.

Guess he is bored with me. Maybe he's busy getting tied up and spanked.


Posted by Nevada Lights on Monday, March 12, 2007 at 4:47 AM
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