Editorial cartoon, Sept. 11

I don’t believe anyone here is attempting to censor what you are saying DontTread.  Freedom of speech is everyone’s right; however common sense must be used and used wisely when we say what we say.  We must also have supporting facts to support what we say.  Freedom of speech doesn’t protect us from libel. 

I do want to ask you this?  Could you please explain to the community just how the police will round up the illegal aliens?  How will they do this within the limits of what the law allows them to do?  I don’t expect an answer from you that will be lawful.  Any person can legally solicit for work in public.  Police are prohibited by law from approaching any individual whether a day laborer or not and ask for proof of citizenship.  It would be unlawful for police to target individuals based on their race or ethnicity.  Police must use probable cause to make an arrest.  Just being Hispanic and looking for work is not probable cause.  The police can check the immigration status of everyone arrested as they do.  You have been told this before.  You have also been told before that ICE is taking the worst of the worst.  The police are doing what you pay them to do.  They protect you by arresting individuals that break the law.  You should be grateful for what they do instead of insulting them.  Remember that the next time you watch the news and a cop is shot or killed protecting the community. 

You claim that cops are turning a blind eye to deal with illegal immigration.  How wrong you are.  Cops themselves have to follow the Constitution and rulings of the Supreme Court of the United States.  Every cop I met loved their community.  Should we support the cops when they violate the law themselves?  Should we support the cops when they violated a person’s rights?  The cops are following proper protocol.  When they stop we can just forget all of those protected rights that we so much enjoy.  Freedom of speech, unlawful search and seizure, probable cause and the rest would simply be nothing but a memory.  Is that what you want? 

I don’t believe that cops are selective in their enforcement of the law.  I don’t need to look up “selective” in a dictionary.  The problem is not the cops.  The problem is on your end.  You are unhappy with the lack of immigration enforcement.  You have shifted the blame from the Federal Government to the local police.  You don’t trust judges, lawyers and cops.  I can clearly see where your opinions are directed from. 

You keep writing.  My intention is not to attack your first amendment right.  My intention is to hopefully get you to understand that there are laws in our society and that the police don’t have a separate set of rules to abide by just because a few people not only refuse to use common sense but have a complete lack of understanding of the law themselves.

Mr. Jenkins is gone and I am sure that some who followed and supported him will have a difficult time accepting it.  The community comes out on top.  Mr. Jenkins chose to govern in a way that was unprofessional.  He never took the time to check things out.  He just said what he thought was right but time and time again the truth always prevailed and proved him wrong.
I hope someday that you find the truth as well.  I must move on as I have made my case and made it well.  Good luck.

Censorship.  I love New America.

My previous post was incorrect and accidentally sent before I completed it.  My post should have read:

You really need to read what you are saying DontTread.  You claim in one post:

“Actually, i personally got I.C.E. involved in Culpeper’s illegal immigrant problem.  I think the police pocketed the federal funding.  I haven’t seen much of a dent in their activites.“

Then in another post you say:

“I personally worked with a member of the town council to organize the distribution and return of petitions for the feds.  They recieved more than enough signatures.  What happened after that is anyone’s guess”
As an attorney I would find it more than safe to say that you could be sued for libel.  What happened after that is anyone’s guess but yet you clearly state that you think the police pocketed the money.  You really put yourself out on a limb.  How on earth does signing a petition even make you say such?  Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe Mr. Jenkins circulated those petitions.  I hate to say this but petitions don’t automatically bring funding and resources to go with that funding. 

I suggest that in the future you make sure you are careful about what you say.  Slanderous statements about the police will get you in some serious hot water.  It’s a good think you post behind a screen name.  False allegations will most definately get you sued.

Petitions are just petitions DontTread.  There was no money given to Culpeper to enforce illegal immigration from such so explain how the police pocketed money by you signing a petition?  Show me the money DontTread?  It’s not there.  It never was.  That’s just plain ridiculous don’t you think?

Law are not selectively enforced.  We enforce the laws that we have the powers to enforce.  Just because we can’t enforce federal immigration laws doesn’t make our enforcement selective.  That is purely your opinion.

The opinion of the Attorney General in the Commonwealth has already stated that we do not have inherent powers to enforce federal immigration laws.  We have state law that under certain situations gives us the power to detain and notify ICE.  Go read 19.2-81.6.  It defines very clearly what we can do. 

I don’t have to drop names.  I have close contacts with ICE at the administrative level so my information is right from the horses mouth and not second-hand.  How about you give facts instead of mis-informing the community yourself?

Like I said, you signed a petition and claim that our local PD put the money in their pockets.  Shall we have the Town Council, County BOS, Sheriff and Chief of Police in front of you and have you tell them directly?  I made my point and made it well. 

The Feds may have received petitions that included your signature but no money came like you claimed.  You have no credibility.  Facts are facts.  Whether or not you face them is your prerogative!

You are so wrong DontTread.  If you think illegal aliens are given preferential treatment then you are making a statement from your own opinion.  They are treated as anyone else is.  They are arrested as anyone else is.  Since the Constitution affords them rights all law enforcement agencies and their personnel must enforce the laws within the law.  They are entitled to miranda rights.  They are entitled to the protection of unlawful search and seizure.  We either follow the rules or get sued.  How difficult is that for you to understand?

So you say that you personally got ICE involved in illegal immigrant activity in Culpeper?  You make an accusation that the police are pocketing the federal funding?  What federal funding for illegal immigration are you talking about?  You haven’t seen a much of a dent in their activities?  My contact and close friend who is a field supervisor with ICE in DC can tell the local folks that you are lying.  We speak often.  He can tell you that they will not and are not coming to Culpeper just to pick up day laborers and that they are only going after violent offenders.  They don’t have the resources. 

Local police can’t enforce immigration laws.  What they can do is arrest individuals and notify their ICE field office.  ICE decides on the detainers.

You say citizenship checkpoints?  Just who will conduct such points?  ICE?  Local police?  You are in a dream world. 

And please tell me as well how I can determine what country a Hispanic individual is from?  You are way off course.

BSmith05 I suggest you take a good close look at the assaults, drive by shootings, stabbings, robberies, fights and other violent crimes in the community.  We obviously don’t need illegal immigrants here to have the current crime wave of violent crimes.  Our own citizens are doing a pretty good job themselves.