Troopers Would Arrest Immigrants

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/06/21/troopers_would_arrest_immigrants/

Romney seeks federal OK to expand powers
By Yvonne Abraham and Scott Helman, Globe Staff  |  June 21, 2006

Governor Mitt Romney is seeking an agreement with federal authorities that would allow Massachusetts state troopers to arrest undocumented immigrants for being in the country illegally.

Currently, State Police have no authority to arrest people on the basis of their immigration status alone, said Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom. If they arrest immigrants for violations of state law, troopers can call a centralized US Immigration and Customs Enforcement center in Vermont to check on their status, and can detain immigrants if federal officials request it.

Under the agreement Romney is seeking, troopers would have greatly expanded powers: They could check an immigrant's legal status during routine patrols such as during a traffic stop and decide whether the immigrant should be held.

------ Way to go, Mitt.

I know that there are illegal immigrants in Massachusetts. From my experience, most of them are hard-working Brazilians. One guy I know worked his butt off in a restaurant kitchen; saved his money and has just returned to Brazil where he purchased a small ranch.

But can't you find something more productive to do
during your brief visits to our state?

As I posted earlier, picking on immigrants, legal or illegal,
is a political hot potato around here. If Mittens stuck
around Massachusetts longer, it would be obvious to him
that he is not in Utah.

Six long months until he is gone.

Thanks for making a great point. Although they often accept jobs that many Americans will not take because of low pay, illegals know US dollars have tremendous buying power back home.

How about using the troopers to enforce the state's highway laws where they'll do some good.

What a dork.

It actually makes sense to me, if stopping illegal immigration is as high a priority as FOX news seems to think it is in this election year. I don't think the intent is for the state troopers to be investigating illegal immigration, just that they can do something about it if they discover it in the course of their job patrolling the highways.

It is the feds responsibility to enforce the immigration laws. Period. Typical of the feds to refuse to admit that enforcing it all can't be done and that there are more important things to worry about. Why do they not just admit this? Do they think it is an admission of failure.

This is a failure all right. Of leadership, as in, we can't tell the people the truth, because we're more worried about how "helpless" we look.