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Immigration See other Immigration Articles Title: Danbury (Conn.) mayor calls for deputizing state police as immigration agents DANBURY, Conn. -- Mayor Mark Boughton has called for deputizing state police officers as immigration agents to crack down on illegal immigrants in Danbury and elsewhere in Connecticut. "The federal government has an inability to do its job as it relates to immigration," he said. "The fact of the matter is that this is out of control. I recognize that we are a nation of immigrants. This is not about immigrants. This is about illegal immigration. There is a difference." Boughton on Friday asked state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal to negotiate an arrangement with federal officials to deputize state police as federal immigration agents. Federal legislation enacted in 1996 permits such a move, he said. Blumenthal promised to review Boughton's request and respond as soon as possible. Danbury officials also are preparing an ordinance that would ban volleyball games attracting large crowds in residential neighborhoods. The games are a staple in Ecuadorean communities. And an anti-illegal immigrant group announced plans to hold an inaugural meeting at the American Legion. Wilson Hernandez, past president of the Ecuadorean Civic Center, called Boughton's proposal shocking. "I thought the mayor was more compassionate with us. I'm breathless at this moment, believe me," he said. Milton Pauta, president of the civic center, said federal officials should open an immigration office in Danbury to help illegal immigrants begin the process of becoming residents. "This country, and Danbury, came from immigrants. There are immigrants here, not just from Latin America. They are from England, India and Spain, lots of places," he said. Boughton has previously sought help from members of Connecticut's congressional delegation. "It's a serious problem. Our numbers continue to swell with no end in sight," said Boughton. He said the city's official population of 75,000 is likely to be closer to 90,000. Rising numbers of immigrants have led to the conversion of "traditional apartments in our older neighborhoods into substandard rooming houses with overcrowded living conditions," Boughton told Blumenthal. Illegal immigration also is linked to "unpaid health care services, unpaid vehicle property taxes, a rash of uninsured, unlicensed and unregistered motor vehicle operators and other social issues," he said. In the deputization program, officials of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement would run a five-week training program during which they would teach Connecticut officers about federal immigration laws. The officers also would take classes on civil liberties and understanding different cultures. ___
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#4. To: Zipporah (#0)
If the feds won't do their job, then maybe the states will. Heck, maybe people will start to realize that the federal government is a bad thing that we actually don't even need anymore.
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