Newark shootings lead to immigration debate

The arrest of an illegal immigrant in the Aug. 4 slaying fosters a discussion about law enforcement.

By Alexandra Marks | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

from the August 17, 2007 edition

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NEWARK, N.J. - The execution-style slaying of three college students in a quiet, leafy part of Newark has galvanized this crime-weary city.

Mostly, it's brought determination to quell the street violence that has already claimed 60 lives this year.

But the illegal immigration status of one of the suspects is prompting a divisive debate here about what role local police should play when they encounter people they suspect are in the US illegally.

Currently, federal authorities encourage local police to alert them if the police arrest someone suspected of being undocumented, but officers aren't required to. Many cities like Newark have a "don't ask, don't tell" policy about immigration status, in order to encourage cooperation with police and the reporting of crimes in immigrant communities.

But the arrest of Jose Lachira Carranza, an illegal immigrant from Peru who was out on bail awaiting trial on assault and child rape charges, has raised new questions about such policies.

A Newark city councilman says he'll introduce legislation that would require police to alert federal authorities immediately when they arrest on a felony charge anyone they suspect is illegal. Opponents say that would only instill fear and more distrust of the police in this richly mixed ethnic city, discouraging witnesses and victims from reporting crimes.

While the recent killings have added urgency to the debate here, hundreds of communities around the country are grappling with similar questions, in part because Congress has not enacted comprehensive immigration reform.

Almost 150 bills in 34 states have been introduced this year that would do things such as deny bail to people suspected of being undocumented and increase funding for local enforcement of immigration laws, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Three states – Florida, Alabama, and Arizona – have also entered into memorandums of understanding with the Department of Homeland Security to allow some state law-enforcement agencies to enforce federal immigration laws. Ten counties – in states including California, Georgia, and Tennessee – have similar agreements.

Advocates say such local involvement helps discourage illegal immigrants from coming to the US.

"Anytime you have someone who shouldn't have been here in the first place, someone who's violated the law, they should be looking over their shoulder," says Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR.) "They should be nervous and not be made to feel comfortable here."

But opponents, including the chiefs of many large city police departments, contend that requiring local police to inquire about immigration status and report it to the federal government will undermine trust and cooperation.

"If the police are seen as immigration agents, immigrants won't come forward to report crimes," says Michele Waslin, director of immigration policy research at the National Council of La Raza in Washington.

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