Although illegal immigration is a controversial issue that candidates often avoid, some Phoenix City Council candidates have tackled it in their campaigns.

Voters will decide Sept. 13 who will get the seats in Districts 2, 4, 6, and 8.

Mark Warren, who is running for a seat in District 2 against Councilwoman Peggy Neely and André Campos, takes issue with a Phoenix Police Department policy that discourages officers from contacting federal immigration officials when they encounter undocumented immigrants during routine matters such as traffic stops.

Those directives are part of the Police Department’s mutual aid policy that outlines how Phoenix police interact with other law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It outlines that police officers will not contact ICE when undocumented people are victims or witnesses of a crime, when contacted during a family disturbance or when they’re seeking medical attention.

Police said federal immigration officials will not respond to such calls and said that is why police officers are directed not to call.

Warren said police officers should be allowed to enforce immigration laws because, he said, a majority of violent and drug-related crimes involve undocumented immigrants.

“We cannot wait until the federal government does something about this,” he said.

Neely acknowledged that neighborhoods are the hardest hit by immigration issues.

“That is something that we have to continue to work on with our federal government to find a solution,” she said.

Campos calls illegal immigration a “threat to public safety and a . . . threat to the financial safety of the city.”

“We can no longer tolerate grandstanding and pandering politicians who keep local law enforcement on the sidelines as spectators,” he said. “I would remove the handcuffs from law enforcement and allow them to enforce immigration laws on violent, criminal illegal aliens.”

He said that he doesn’t advocate “rounding up all the guys who are here to work” but that violence and other crimes should be investigated thoroughly when warranted.

Candidates in other races believe the issue has to be looked at on a broader, national scale.

“It’s part of a national policy,” said Warren Severin, who is running against Greg Stanton in District 6. “We have to recognize that Arizona is an influential state . . . and that Phoenix will by playing a major role in crafting that national policy.”

Severin said any approach should include a program that would get undocumented immigrants officially contributing to the system that they’re already a part of, including contributions to Social Security and Medicare. It would also include strengthening the border to make it less attractive for them to enter this country illegally and more appealing to enter legally.

“I don’t think the city of Phoenix has the resources, whether the number of police officers or financial resources, that every time we find an illegal immigrant to put them in a squad car and throw them in jail,” Severin said.

Stanton said that although illegal immigration is primarily a federal issue, it does greatly affect the community.

“There has to be a partnership between the city and state and federal officials to deal with these issues,” Stanton said. “I support Senator John McCain in his efforts to deal with the issue on a more comprehensive basis.”

Chad Campbell, a candidate in District 4, said city officials’ responsibility is to enforce existing city laws.

“It’s not a city issue in any way,” Campbell said. “It’s a federal issue . . . that needs to be dealt with by the federal government.”

Jarrett Maupin, a candidate in District 8, said that in terms of policing, “yes the police could do more to crack down on illegal human trafficking.”

He said he won’t tolerate people who use “undocumented workers to watch their children, to cook their food, make their beds and cut their lawn and then want to stand out in public and make comment about what a burden they are on our system.”

Sylvia “Pinky” Moreno said there should be a collaborative effort among cities, counties and states affected by immigration issues.

“We’re all facing the same issues,” she said. “We should all be talking and looking at how we are going to address them. Whatever we do, there needs to be an open dialogue and we should be talking to people at a federal level.”

She said it wasn’t an issue that could simply be addressed with just one solution

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3. ASSISTANCE:  (Continued)

WHEN:  September 13, 2006

WHERE:  Mt. Olives Lutheran Church
3546 E. Thomas Road
Phoenix, Arizona

TIME:  10:00 A.M.

The above stated meeting has been called by The Central City Police Department Precinct located in Phoenix, Arizona.

Mothers Against Illegal Aliens calls for a Press Conference to bring attention to the apparent lack of notification to the general public which comes at the heels of a local judge throwing out Prop. 405 which would have given the citizens of Phoenix the ability to vote out sanctuary orders which protect illegal aliens.

Central City Precinct appears to have knowingly withheld information to the general public and individuals and group leaders who were present at the first meeting held by Central City Precinct.

Central City Precinct informed MAIA that they passed out fliers from Oak Street to Osborn from 40th Street to 32nd Street.

MAIA has canvassed the areas located between 40th Street and 44th Street from Thomas to Osborn and passed out over 400 fliers to homeowners and citizens.  Not one person or homeowner received a City of Phoenix flyer.

MAIA notified homeowners on the West side of 40th Street, which was the distributed area which Central City Precinct states they distributed fliers.  Those homeowners did not receive fliers.  MAIA gave notice to these home owners.

Based on MAIA’s diligence and persistence, all of the home owners who were contacted had NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE of the public meeting which was to be held by the Phoenix, P.D.

MAIA attempted to contact the Commander of Squaw Peak Precinct.  Lt. Fisher informed me that the Commander was unaware of this meeting however was currently in talks with Central City Precinct regarding the matter.  After being informed as of Friday, September 8, 2006 regarding said meeting by MAIA, the Squaw Peak Precinct advised that they would attend.

MAIA contacted Councilman Michael Johnson of Phoenix City Council District 8’s office who advised that they were not aware of the meeting.

It is apparent that the cooperation between Phoenix Police Precincts is not a high priority.  Both Precincts were represented at the previous meeting as well as leaders of grassroots organizations.  The Central City Precinct, Commander Jeff Hynes, stated that they would notify everyone of the next meeting.  Obviously this promise was not kept.

Michelle Dallacroce, President of MAIA, personally called Central City Precinct and advised them that she never received notice of the meeting and that no one in her neighborhood had received notice.

The Phoenix police department appears to have put a lesser level of importance on the safety of Phoenix’s legal taxpaying American citizens by placing greater importance on the wants and desires of the illegal aliens who have infested our local neighborhoods.  The large number of illegal aliens who gather on our neighborhood corners have been seen near our homes urinating and defecating behind trees and alleys.  One of which is located near a day care center located in home.

The Phoenix police department schedules meetings during work hours and in the middle of the morning when it is unlikely that most residents will have the ability to attend (because we have jobs.)  Moreover, the Phoenix police department fails to notify the citizens who live in the pertinent residential areas of these meetings.   Notice has been taken of Mayor Phil Gordon’s absence at these community/neighborhood meetings when the topic is the protection of the legal taxpaying (voting) American citizens’ protection against illegal aliens.

The times that these meetings are scheduled by the Phoenix police demonstrate a lack of consideration for the families and homeowners in the City of Phoenix.  However, when the Baseline Rapist and Shooter was an issue, the Phoenix police department had meetings during evening hours and in locations which were accommodating to the general public.  They even held them in Spanish.  Notice of these meetings were on the local news channels, the radio and by flyers.   Mayor Gordon had no problem attending these meetings.  These actions definitely give our neighborhoods and its citizens the strong impression that our mayor, city council and police department do not care about our family’s safety and our security.  Does this reflect our local government’s attempt to appease the illegals for their money and votes?

The Squaw Peak Precinct of the Phoenix Police Department, and Councilman Johnson’s office stated that they would not reimburse MAIA for the printing and distribution costs incurred to distribute the flyers to notify you of the aforementioned meeting which they scheduled.