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Tensions remain over Las Vegas raids
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K.M. CANNON/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Members of the media stand at the door of a Tuesday night town hall meeting during which federal immigration officials answered questions about July 29 raids in Las Vegas that angered many in the Hispanic community. No cameras were allowed inside the meeting room. » Buy this photo
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Updated: Sep. 15, 2010 | 7:59 a.m.
Organizers of Tuesday evening's town hall meeting hoped the event would help ease tensions between federal immigration officials and members of the Hispanic community who were aggravated by recent raids at valley bus stations.
But the roughly hourlong event appeared to do little but further polarize the two sides.
Paul Beeson, chief patrol agent for the U.S. Border Patrol in Yuma, Ariz., insisted his agents followed proper protocol during the July 29 raids, acted on good intelligence about Las Vegas becoming a hub for human and drug smugglers, and didn't target anyone based on race. The Yuma sector includes all of Nevada.
"We don't engage in racial profiling," Beeson said. "It is against the law."
Still, few in the crowd of about 100 people, mostly Hispanic community members, seemed convinced.
Emmanuel Corrales, owner of Las Vegas Shuttles, one of the businesses targeted in the raids, said he and other U.S. citizens who were his clients were harassed by agents because of "the color of our skin."
Corrales and other witnesses said Border Patrol agents dressed in street clothes didn't promptly identify themselves and refused to answer questions from owners and managers of the bus stations that were targeted.
"It's just plain wrong they came," he said.
The officials from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which conducted the raids, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement participated in the town hall meeting after being invited by the office of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. Reid's office organized the meeting after hearing concerns from community members about tactics used during the raids.
A Reid staffer initially turned away members of the media who showed up to cover the event, saying that it was open to "community members" -- not the media -- and that the event was "invitation-only."
A news release sent out earlier in the week by Michael Flores, an immigrant rights activist with ProgressNow Nevada, was a mistake, said Christina Martinez, a regional representative for Reid.
"One of our community members took it upon himself to put a press release out and invite all the media," she said.
Another Reid staffer had responded in an e-mail Monday to questions from the Review-Journal about the event but didn't say it was closed to the media.
After some members of the media entered the room anyway Tuesday evening, Martinez agreed to let reporters stay but did not allow cameras.
"I want to be sure we have a very candid conversation where people can speak freely without a camera here in the audience," she said.
Flores said Reid's office had asked him to help "get the word out" about the meeting and never mentioned anything about not inviting the media. Several people in attendance said that their "invitations" consisted of an e-mail from Flores and that the media should be there.
"I don't understand why they don't want you here," said Joel Menchaca, pastor of Amistad Cristiana, who held a special prayer vigil at his church in an effort to calm the community after the raids.
"It's important to have the media here," Flores said. "The community needs to know about this."
Border Patrol agents arrested 31 suspected illegal immigrants during the raids, which began at the same time immigration rights groups gathered at a local church to celebrate a judge's decision to block the most controversial sections of a new Arizona immigration law.
The agents were in Las Vegas because, according to intelligence they had gathered, the city has become a hub increasingly used by smuggling organizations to transport people and drugs between Los Angeles and Phoenix, the federal agency said.
The agents wore street clothes because "we want to be as discreet as we can," Beeson said. "We don't want to cause a fuss."
Twelve of those arrested had criminal histories that included charges of theft, prostitution and burglary, or other immigration-related offenses, the agency said.
Some of the 31 were taken to a Border Patrol station for processing. Others were released pending upcoming immigration hearing dates or were deported.
Beeson said Tuesday that the agency hadn't uncovered any evidence of smuggling during the raids.
"It seems to me they made a big mistake," Malena Burnett, the owner of a local business that helps immigrants with citizenship applications and other legal issues, said after the meeting.
"The intelligence they had was faulty. They didn't find smugglers. They didn't find drugs. What they did was create a lot of panic."
Some audience members said they felt the agents were targeting businesses that deal mainly with Hispanic clients.
Beeson said the agency didn't target any particular community.
"We went where those stations were" that had been identified by intelligence sources, he said. "That's what we did, folks."
Beeson also responded to questions about family members who were separated during the raids. The agency made sure arrangements were made to care for any children, he said, and family members were quickly reunited after those who had been arrested were processed.
"We're not interested in separating families," Beeson said. "We recognize we need to keep families together."
Contact reporter Lynnette Curtis at lcurtis@ reviewjournal.com.
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I have no tension just relief.
There were several illegal immigrants found in the raid on Las Vegas Shuttles and deported as well they should have been. If you have not followed the procedure required to be an American citizen, then you are illegal. Illegal means "against the law". What part of illegal do you not understand? It doesn't matter what race or nationality you are. If you are here without paying due process, you are ILLEGAL and deserve to be arrested and deported. Transporting illegal aliens is a very lucrative business. I think Corrales is upset because the special agents hurt his business.
El Cholo: our next governer(if he doesn't shoot his foot off between now and nov. 2) is an american, and a citizen of the state of nevada that realizes when people sneak into your country and overwhelm everything, it is a problem, regardless of the color of the skin of those doing it. forget "hispanic", you are either american or you are not. CORRECTION to an earlier comment i made: i said google "Mayfield, california", should have read MAYWOOD, california, for a look at harry reid's vision for america.
Mel.anderson wrote on September 16, 2010 04:32 AM:
SO why was the meeting not open to the rest of the public?
Really? If you wanted to pander to a particular group of people without the rest of your constituency finding out, wouldn't you do it this way? Why else would they exclude cameras? I'll bet his staff cringed when they started getting calls from the media on this and are counting their lucky stars it didn't get greater coverage.
This was nothing more than an election year stunt on Reid's part, same as what he did to attach his version of the Dream Act to the Defense bill. "Passing the DREAM Act will give more of our children the opportunity to succeed." (Harry Reid's statement on the DREAM Act). Wow! Sounds very noble, but the act covers "children" between the ages of 12 to 35. That's right 35! The age range actually covers more people who are adults than it does children.
Let's call it what it is, it's an Amnesty bill. And it's pandering by Harry pure and simple. Who's interests is Harry looking out for US Citizens or illegals?
@br~ SORRY LIVING IN GREEN VALLEY I DONT HAVE A ROACH PROBLEM.PREVENTIVE PEST CONTROL CAN HELP YOU OUT WITH THAT! AS FOR CHASING THEM INTO CANADA I AND PROBABALY YOU KNOW DEEP DOWN THATS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.YOU MIGHT AS WELL GET USE TO IT.WE AINT GOIN NO WHERES!WE HAVE OUR KIDS IN 'YOUR' MILITARY GOING TO 'YOUR' UNIVERSITIES.WHO KNOWS MAYBE EVEN MARRYING INTO YOUR FAMILY! SO DONT HATE,YOUR NEXT GOVENOR IS HISPANIC! SI SE PUEDE! VIVA LA RAZA!
EL CHOLO, The size of the infestation doesn't matter. We realize, that like cockroaches, we can't get them all. We can, however, keep them on the run, shine the light and watch them scurry for cover. Eventually, with the right politicians and resolve we can chase them home or up to Northern Canada. Brrrr!
I,m neither for reid or angle no matter who we vote for someone will be pocketing our hard earned tax $. actually there are americans and asians living near resorts in mexico & other countries. they also buy property. I do agree, if your here illegaly and a criminal leave even if you come from another country. Mexicans aren't the only illegals. Let's name the other countries!!
If you can spare 15mins, watch this link. It will explain in vivid details of whats going to happen to all of us if this issue doesn't get resolved. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4094926727128068265#
M.H. I am glad that you clarified that you are here legally. But let me get this straight. If I go to another country illegally, say Mexico, I am sure that they will let me stay because it isn't really a crime. And, no, they should not leave their children behind, take them home. Is Mexico such a hole you don't want to live there? And yet they want us to visit. You also sound like a Reid supporter, wolf in sheeps clothing.
Mr. cholo I'm also a us born citizen with mexican heritage lets not put a bad name out for all of us. let's worry abut those children who are left without parents. their parents made mistakes and have to pay the consecuences.Illegal aliens are not only mexican but include salvadoreans,guatemala,
nicaragua all latin america,other countries too: like asians. stop the hatred & unhummanity
so we can all get to our buisness and live in peace.I perfer to have gov't take our money instead of ANGLE who could be your nosey, think they now all neighbor.