Should police be allowed to find out status? Are our police force at risk?

Question

Officer union calls for change in immigration rule
Group wants HPD to allow questioning about citizenship status
By JAMES PINKERTON
Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
May 11, 2009, 11:20AM

Houston’s largest police union, frustrated by the shootings of two officers by illegal immigrants, wants an end to the department’s 17-year-old policy of not questioning residents about their immigration status.

Such a change would put Houston at odds with the state’s five other major city police departments — Austin, El Paso, Fort Worth, Dallas and San Antonio.

Gary Blankinship, president of the Houston Police Officers Union, said the September 2006 murder of officer Rodney Johnson and the severe injuries suffered by officer Rick Salter on March 5 are reasons to toughen immigration enforcement, including an end to the policy. Both officers were shot by illegal immigrants who had been deported from Houston, but returned to commit other crimes.

“It’s a strong issue,” Blankinship said. “My guys get tired of dealing with the criminal aliens out here, and it seems like the severity of the crimes is escalating and that’s frustrating to the rank and file.”

He stressed that calls for a change in the policy are not aimed at a wholesale roundup of illegal immigrants in Houston, a population the Greater Houston Partnership estimated last year at 420,000 in the 10-county Houston metropolitan area. It would help officers to weed out dangerous criminals in the undocumented community, he said.

Frank Michel, a spokesman for Mayor Bill White, said the administration has no plans to change a policy it considers crucial to policing city neighborhoods.

“We need people to be confident in Houston police officers and have them step forward to report crime, and be willing to step forward as witnesses,” Michel said.

In the aftermath of the murder of officer Johnson, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and Houston police received federal training so jailers can access immigration computer databases to identify immigration violators.

“What the mayor has said repeatedly is the police have to focus on what they do best, solving crimes and protecting our neighborhoods,” Michel said. “He also has asked that the federal agencies in charge of enforcing immigration law get more resources, so they can do their jobs.”

Few are prosecuted
Lawrence Rushton, a Houston immigration attorney, said the great majority of illegal immigrants are not prosecuted on federal criminal charges when they are detained away from the border area.

Although improper entry to the country is a federal misdemeanor offense punishable by a maximum six-month jail sentence and a $250 fine, in practice most cases result in civil deportation proceedings, he said.

Answer 1

Yes! All police forces are allowed to find out their backgrounds but only when they have to arrest, detain, or investigate people who are suspicious.



Plus this 17-year-old policy of not questioning residents about their immigration status in Houston is against the law. This is a prime example of Houston being a sanctuary city. The cops should just ignore the policy and do their legitimate police work. Who was the idiot that passed this policy? I guess that person forgot to read US Code 8.

Answer 2

Not a problem at all. Currently my city has a number of retired NFL football players, at least 2 major league baseball players,. I partnered with a former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox for 2 years We have hired actors who have been in movies, on TV and a bunch who are still regulars doing commercials. When we hired a former Mr. Universe there was a problem. He had to get his uniform shirts custom made since his biceps where so big. Speaking of singing we have at least two famous blues musicians and a couple of opera singers, all doing those jobs before and after becoming the police.

Answer 3

OMG, how many times has an "American" been pulled over and killed a cop? Too many!

Don't act like only Latinos and Hispanics are the only ones, as that shows how racist you are.



They don't need to know there status only if, they have a violent criminal record and or potential to do such harm.

I am not for the police getting hurt or killed for doing their job, but come on already, stop with the hate.

We are not all the criminals you want to make us out to be.



Then they would have to check EVERY ONES status they come in contact with, a waste of time and resources.

Answer 4

Lord knows we would not want to initiate anything that might infringe upon the rights of people that should have no rights in this country anyway.



Load them up and ship them out......with tags to keep them out.

Answer 5

Knowing the immigration status of any one individual person does very little to predict the incidence of violent crime.

Answer 6

Yes, they should.