Los Angeles Mayor Confused on Immigration Policy

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Los Angeles is a major city on the list of Sanctuary Cities in the United States. Sanctuary cities generally have a policy that prohibits local police officers from questioning detained criminals about their immigration status. Los Angeles adopted a sanctuary policy in 1979 when the city police commission issued an order barring cooperation between the police and the immigration service. Since 1979 crime rates have fluctuated with the national average, however there is growing concern about gang related crimes.

Los Angeles city mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, re declared L.A. a sanctuary city in 2006. This reiterated L.A.P.D. Special Order 40, which states that police officers are not permitted to ask the immigration status of detained individuals. The policy was instituted because of abuses by LAPD who targeted legal immigrants and Latinos on investigations. Mayor Villaraigosa recently reiterated support for Special Order 40.

"We believe that the city is safer when our police department is collaborating and cooperating with witnesses and victims who happen to be undocumented, that our city and our neighborhoods are safer when they feel that they can cooperate with the police."

Mayor Villaraigosa is now being faced with a headache situation with the rise in gang violence in Los Angeles. The gang violence is on the specific rise between black and latino gangs. Some black leaders indicate that illegal immigrants have threatened job and housing resources for black Americans in L.A.

I.C.E. and Homeland Security have been conducting raids on businesses and successfully deporting hundreds of illegal immigrants. However, Mayor Villaraigosa is critical of the focus of investigations of ICE and Homeland Security, and claims that the scarce federal funds devoted to the branches in L.A. should be used for pursuing gang members and other violent criminals. Last month the federal immigration enforcement agencies arrested 3700 illegal aliens on workplace violation and 850 for criminal violations.

Mayor Villaraigosa claims the arrests have targeted people who have contributed positively to the community and ignores violent offenders.

Fox News Reports:

Rick Oltman, spokesman for the immigration advocacy group Californians for Population Stabilization, said the mayor can't have it both ways.

"The mayor wants his police not to be involved in immigration enforcement, yet he wants to harangue the federal government for coming after the criminal aliens in his town which he has virtually set up as a sanctuary city. There's just a little bit of double talk going on here," said Oltman."

"He doesn't want to disrupt the flow of cheap labor to businesses who have been benefiting from this all along, so it's the classic double speak: say one thing to one group, say something to another group,"