Sunday, September 30, 2007






The I.C.E. continue the Raids throughout the Nation. I think the priorities have changed from becoming law abiding. It's almost like, a cleansing mission of some sort.

TULSA, Okla.) September 28 - An overnight bust of illegal immigrants has a Tulsa community on edge.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, tracked down four suspected who are also in this country illegally.

Authorities say the four men, all from Mexico, had ignored a federal judge's deportation orders.
In the meantime, a tough new Oklahoma law on illegal immigration will soon go into effect.

Some in the neighborhood where the bust happened say they are leary of ICE’s tactics.

Hispanic groups across Oklahoma are planting their message, wanting you to know they want to put a stop to the state's new immigration law.

And one Hispanic mother says the state needs to lay off. As the convoy of ICE agents make its way through an east Tulsa neighborhood, Silvia Berumen-Garner is not really sure what to think. “If they were dangerous and fugitives a problem for society, but it doesn't seem to be that way.”

Berumen-Garner has no problem with criminals being deported, but she fears sweeps like these are going too far. “I think the priorities have changed from becoming law abiding. It's almost like, a cleansing mission of some sort."

A 30-year resident of the United States, Berumen-Garner says forcing illegals out of the state may appear to make sense on the surface, but she's convinced such a policy hurts Oklahoma. “There should be a solution more than just sending people out or taking people out because that hurts the people, hurts the economy. You know there's not one sweeping solution."

The Reverend Miguel Riveria, a member of the National Coalition of Latin Clergy and Christian Leaders, wants to put a halt to house bill 1804. "1804 is a frivolous law, it's a frivolous law."

It's an immigration law making it illegal to house or employee illegal immigrants. “We are on record that our borders need to be secure and we are on record also that we support the rule of law", Riveria says.

But they also support tolerance and humanity towards all people as opposed to a law they feel is hateful. “If there needs to be a change there needs to be a humanitarian change", Silvia says.

While Hispanic groups on the local level try to fight the state, on the federal level there's about 73 fugitive operations team nationwide. They say they strictly focus on those who ignore their deportation orders.

Supporters of immigrant rights plan to file an injunction in federal court to suspend 1804, pending the court's review. But as of right now, 1804 is set to go into effect November 1.

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