Illegal immigration is hot issue in some county sheriff races
Illegal immigration is hot issue in some county sheriff races
By Devona Walker
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36
Published: July 26, 2008
Before House Bill 1804 went into effect in November, Tulsa County Sheriff Stanley Glanz was vigilant in enforcing federal immigration law.
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Other law officers' enforcement criticized
In advance of Tuesday's primary election, Helm and others have spent the past month rallying behind officials who support their ideology. They also are working to unseat those they perceive as being nonsupportive or "lackadaisical in their enforcement of the rule of law.”
The anti-illegal immigrant network has focused on sheriff, judge and district attorney elections, offices that have the most discretion in determining how HB 1804 and federal immigration law is enforced.
While the groups support Glanz's work, they have vocally criticized other sheriffs for what they see as a lack of vigilance. Helm said the state is filled with elected law enforcement officials who are failing to do their job when it comes to immigration enforcement.
"I talk to a lot of folks all over, everywhere from Altus to Woodward to Miami,” Helm said. "I think the entire state is tired of the drain on the local communities. The local communities are in worse shape than Tulsa, and you know how bad that is.”
"Some people think immigration is a federal issue, but so is robbing a bank. You just don't ignore it when you see it happening,” said Glanz, who says he has reduced crime by enforcing immigration laws.
This position has not been supported by the Tulsa Police Department, which has reported a slight increase in crime due largely to criminals targeting illegal immigrants.
"I don't think they understand the implications on the community of having a strong underbelly of illegal aliens,” Glanz said about lack of enforcement at other departments. "When you have a bunch of illegals in a community, it spawns other types of criminal activity; it helps create an environment where that criminality can exist.”
Immigration not issue in all areas of state
Immigration as a political weapon may have lost its edge elsewhere. In Pottawatomie County, for instance, three candidates are vying for Sheriff Kurt Shirey's job — Mike Booth, Gary Roe and Jay Davis. None is talking about immigration.
"Immigration has not been a big issue here,” Shirey said. "As long as they are law-abiding so they don't draw our attention.”
Shawnee's Hispanic population is officially listed at about 1.9 percent, but illegal immigrants are largely undercounted in those statistics. The city's population is about 30,000. The issue has come up once at a community forum, Shirey said.
"It's just like I told that person at the forum, this is a nation of immigrants, but my point is it needs to be done legally,” Shirey said.
One Pottawatomie County resident echoed Shirey's views.
"We have a flurry of immigrants around here. They come and they go,” said Debra Short, 49, a small-business owner in Shawnee. "I will make my decision based on the character of the person running.”
Related Topics:
Domestic Policy, Social Policy, Political Policy, Politics, Social Issues, Immigration Policy, Immigration
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That cheap labor undercuts any strong economy and is encouraged by employers, and most state govts and a whole lot by the Feds is the primary concern by the public. Why pay a decent wage when illegals (Mexican, Vietmanes, Chinese, Iranians, South American, etc.)can be exploited as cheap labor while "natives" go without jobs or live on the princely minimum wage deemed by others as sufficient? Basically it comes down to profit. To hell with all the humanitarian crap. The majority of people in Today's society want illegals out and that means "all" No discrimination here, ALL. That Americans live in a nation or state that agrees that $6.00 ph is a high dollar wage ('or better than nothin') is down right disgusting. That there should be and is an "it's acceptable" attitude with such thinking is downright stupid. Our countrys' stability is at stake. For those who think this in incorrect, please go to Mexico or another 3rd world country to see what unfair truly means. Secondly, do we Americans have a high opinion of ourselves? You bet!!!. Thats why we don't eat out of trash cans, or in a country hell bent on butchering one another. To see how we got where we are, or on how to continue with any government or social stability, go to the history books before blowing off your mouth. History has a nasty way of repeating itself. p.s. for the spelling, grammar or English majors out there, my apologies. This is really skinny area to see through here so I am going to post it anyway.
It's the old trick of demonizing a group you fear that has sustained the Ku Klux Klan, Neo-Nazis, the Aryan Nation and numerous other hate groups. And, if you wonder, Yes, those groups are here in Oklahoma. Some in Oklahoma City, some in the Tulsa, some in the southwestern part of the state, and at least one publisher of hate material in the eastern part of the state. Matter-of-fact, black on black violent crime is far more common than Hispanic on Anglo violent crime. Of course there are Hispanic criminals here just as there are Native American criminals, black criminals and, oh yes, white criminals. But, if you look at those facts, you don't get to blacken the reputations of a whole group of people of whom you don't approve. So, there are people who ignore the facts, and want to put everyone with a Hispanic name in a category of despots. In past years, it was the Germans, the Irish, the Poles, the Czechs and, of course the blacks who got this kind of treatment. Now, the bullies are concentrating on the Latin Americans. When are they going to tire of this silly crap?
all good solid Native American names! Listen to your President, he is your man and he wants work permits for Mexican workers let in legally.
your are just an idiot to support this wanton disrespect for our laws for two groups who do not give a damm about the citizens of this country.
Governor Neapolitano has allowed the massive influx of illegal immigrants, that nearly brought Arizona to its economic knees.
Mayor Phil Gordon is not the only Mayor who needs to be recalled? Mayor Newsom of San Francisco who has turned the city into a killing field for illegal criminal aliens. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa who is equally to blame for the deaths of innocent American citizens.
Then again any Governor like Neapolitano, Mayors or any of the tainted elected city official, who had allowed the growth of gangs or the criminal filth from third world countries should be sent to prison. Sanctuary city polices have undermined police enforcement and cost California for instance $11 billion dollars, in financially supporting predatory employment of illegal cheap labor. They are in violation of Section 274 felonies under the federal Immigration and Nationality Act, INA 274A(a)(1)(A): they broke Federal law. It states, "..a person (including a group of persons, business, organization, or local government) commits a federal felony when she or he:
Of course we will never know how many bystanders have been slaughtered in the communities around the country by illegal aliens. I just know that I'm going to add this travesty to my comments or blogs daily. So these idiots who run our country are not to be forgotten of their crimes called 'Sanctuary city'.
But when you are a miserable puppet of big business who 'brown bags' money to you, what do we expect? Its absolutely absurd that we hire these morons every year, who allow this unceasing illegal immigration infestation in this nation. Those people are true American patriots, should find out the unrestricted facts, not found in the biased press. NUMBERSUSA, AMERICAN PATROL, LIBERTY POST, IMMIGRATION NEWS INDEXER.
Terrell has been right all along. WAKE UP PEOPLE.