Councilwoman Alvarado: What sanctuary policy?
So now a petition drive has begun in an attempt to force a city-wide vote on how HPD should handle illegal immigrants:
Deriding what they call the city's "sanctuary policy," about a dozen members of a group called "Protect Our Citizens" conducted a news conference at City Hall to announce the petition drive for a city charter referendum.
"It is time to send a message to the world that Houston is no longer a safe haven for illegal, criminal aliens," said spokesman Paul O'Finan, a lawyer.
The group also includes Mary Williams, founder of Taxpayers for Accountability, who has been involved in successful citizen-led initiatives including term limits for city politicians and a 2004 measure capping city revenue.
Officers ask people their immigration status only after they have been arrested for some other reason. Police say the understaffed department doesn't have the resources or training to do more.
Except that the understaffed department DOES have the resources to answer repeated dog-barking complaints in Slampo's neighborhood. But I digress.
Officials also say changing the policy could erode the trust officers need to solve crimes in immigrant communities.
Police Chief Harold Hurtt and Mayor Bill White support the current policy.
[snip]
After Tuesday's event, Councilwoman Carol Alvarado dismissed the petition as "pre-election politics," saying the city doesn't offer "sanctuary" to illegal immigrants.
Nice try, Councilwoman. It's General Order 500-5, issued in 1992 by former Police Chief Sam Nuchia. It's a "hands off illegals" policy. Then you add city-funded day labor centers and voilą! You've got an unofficial official sanctuary policy.
"I don't think it makes sense to take our police officers off the streets from chasing real criminals, who are committing real crimes, and send them on some witch hunt," [Alvarado] said.
Guess what! Some of the real criminals, committing real crimes, are here illegally. Really! And by not allowing police officers to do their jobs fully (without the hindrance of a politically correct policy concocted by illegal immigrant activists), the public's safety IS at risk. And we are seeing the fruits of that policy every day.
KEVIN WHITED ADDS: What is interesting about some of the advocates of the sanctuary policy (including some bloggers who have just discovered it) is their notion that in the absence of said policy, HPD officers would be running around, out of control, harassing anyone whose skin is brown and trying to deport them. Frankly, that's ludicrous. If that were to happen, it would be because the HPD brass wanted it to happen (unlikely) or because the HPD brass is incompetent (hmm, on second thought, maybe that could happen under Chief Hurtt).
What we could really use is a debate over a directive crafted by a police chief in 1992. If the general order issued by a police chief 14 years ago is the right policy for Houston today, then there's no reason why members of Council can't debate the issue, seek the advice of experts in law enforcement, and produce a similar policy -- or not. I've yet to see a compelling argument why law enforcement should remain handcuffed by a directive issued by an unelected police chief in 1992. We elect a Mayor and Council to make those sorts of decisions. It's time for them to stop ducking this issue, and for the 1992 directive to be replaced by a real policy crafted by our elected officials after appropriate public input.
PREVIOUSLY: Mayor White: What sanctuary policy?, Gordon Quan: What sanctuary policy?
BLOGVERSATION: Lone Star Times, Newswatch: Immigration, Polimom, Too.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 06/21/06 08:39 PM | Print |
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