September 27, 2007

Local enforcement of immigration laws protested in Irving, Texas (Mexican consul, Hector Flores)

From Sep. 21's "Irving mayor defends increased deportations" (link):

Deportations in this city have skyrocketed in the last several months – from 262 in all of 2006 to 1,338 through mid-September... "In this city, one has to be extra careful," [local Mexican consul Enrique Hubbard Urrea] told Al Dia . "And if possible, avoid going through there, because we suspect, and with good reason, that people are being detained simply because of their appearance." ...At least 1,600 people have been turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement since June 2006 as part of the Criminal Alien Program, which provides for round-the-clock communication with federal authorities and is designed to detain illegal immigrants who have been accused of a crime.

Note that Irving doesn't participate in the 287g program; they mayor opposes the use of that program and the city council hasn't approved it. Now, as if on cue:

Angered over a record number of recent deportations in Irving, more than 1,000 protesters waved U.S. flags and chanted "We are America" as they rallied Wednesday night at City Hall.

Demonstrators called for Irving officials to put a moratorium on turning over suspected illegal immigrants to federal officials until immigration laws are reformed nationally. They also urged people to call Mayor Herbert Gears and ask him to stop deporting people from the city's jail.

"We need to raise our voice and we need to ask for changes about the things we don't like here," said Hector Flores, a leader in Irving's Hispanic community [and a real piece of work who's past president of the League of United Latin American Citizens]...

...And community leader Carlos Quintanilla said he would organize a boycott of Irving businesses if the city persisted.

..."We're not just hurting people driving without driver's licenses," said Luis DeLaGarza, a political consultant who helped organize the rally. "We are hurting the economy in Irving. We need to have immigration reform."

I wouldn't be surprised at all to learn that there was some sort of coordination between the Mexican consul and those who organized this protest, but I have no proof.

Two people from the anti-illegal immigration side were arrested at the event; whether they misbehaved or something else happened isn't clear.

UPDATE: There's video here (warning: may lock up browser). The ends of two altercations are shown, with one counter-protester slapping at two protesters, and another counter-protester with his hand on the neck of another protester. What preceeded those incidents isn't shown (gosh, that's surprising), and both may have been provoked. Unfortunately, this illustrates yet again that many of those opposed to illegal immigration haven't learned how to play the game. That includes video taping everything that happens as it's happening, and may also include not fighting back and then suing. Who knows what could be "discovered".

Posted to Immigration2007b at September 27, 2007 09:58 AM