I am retired Detroit police officer.....
Still applicable today..........affects everyone..
I responded to a B&E report at a construction site, years ago...when I tried to get info..and see who made the call...no one spoke english...not one of over 8 people...
I called INS & Border Patrol...and each put me off...claiming they didn't have manpower to investigate illegal aliens at a job site...finally border patrol said they would 'refer' the matter to a job site task force...i believe they never investigated the situation...and I never got a call asking for information...
The situation was dangerous because I couldn't get info on anything...couldn't eventually ID anyone, no one seemed to be supervising the construction (let alone construction standards)...and couldn't determine if a crime had occurred - which means additional crimes could still be occurring and workers lives could have been endangered..and later I was told I couldn't investigate or even question immigration status, because we weren't trained and had no authority....that is wrong...
Early in my career around 1979 ..working a morality / vice unit...we raided a blind pig in the Delray area - and called the border patrol because possible immigration violations and a border patrol officer responded and made several arrests...and we worked well together...
INS ...Boder Patrol ....DPD dont have enough officers or agents to enforce immigration laws - which is dangerous to the aliens and national security.....
But working together...we can show some enforcement and be a deterrent...all law enforcement officers local police and state police should have authority to inquire and detain suspected illegal aliens....if they cant speak English - can't produce a drivers license, passport, visa, work papers or a green card..that is probable cause - not profiling....No ethnicity, age, race involved.
Local police agencies shouldn't be bogged down enforcing immigration laws - but they shouldn't have to ignore the enforcement....cooperation....will make us safer - for all........
Sgt DPD Retired
ps..the most important thing that Arizona can do is stop the flow of guns into Mexico
that would make the southerwest border state residents - safer, and the Feds need
to have an assault weapons ban - and cooperate with state and local officials in
States and work more closely with Mexican officials to stem the tide of guns
being smuggled into Mexico.
