Activists ask Phoenix PD to not engage in immigration enforcement
PHOENIX - The Phoenix City Council voted against a new petition that asked the Phoenix Police Department to not engage in immigration enforcement.
The backstory:
The petition was organized by the social justice nonprofit Poder in Action.
These citizens say there’s a lot of fear in the community over the federal government’s hard-line stance on illegal immigrants. So, they want a clear separation between the Phoenix Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Poder in Action says Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego needs to uphold the promise she made after the election of President Donald Trump.
She said the city will not use "[the] police department — or any city resources whatsoever — to assist in mass deportation efforts by the Trump administration."
"And unfortunately, that’s not what we’re seeing," said Miros Mejia of Poder in Action.
Activists say ICE agents are allowed in Phoenix jails, targeting nonviolent, minor offenders. They also say agents stand outside the Phoenix immigration court and Phoenix Police are protecting them.
"These are members of the community that have been here for a very long time, and when they are stopped and detained by police and handed over to ICE, unfortunately, it comes to the point where families are being separated," Mejia said.
The organization submitted a citizen petition to the city council, but it was voted against.
The other side:
FOX 10 attempted to confirm these claims with Phoenix PD, but was directed to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO), which runs the jails in Phoenix.
However, during the council meeting on June 18, Phoenix PD confirmed that it does not cooperate with ICE, and said that MCSO runs detainee information, then gets ICE involved.
If an officer makes a stop and suspects the person is undocumented, it is up to the discretion of the officer whether they cite and release or arrest and send them for booking.
Phoenix PD says it encourages officers to cite and release, and adds that it keeps a record if ICE is called.
‘Ensure that our communities feel safe’
"We should agree that due process is a thing. We should agree that proper procedures should be followed. As elected leaders, we need to do our job right now, roll up our sleeves and figure out how we are going to ensure that our communities feel safe," said Phoenix Council Member, Anna Hernandez, who represents District 7.
The city of Phoenix recommended the council deny this petition, which it did.
Poder in Action says it wants to start this conversation now as these federal raids under the Trump administration, it says, continue to stir up fear and tension across the nation.