God Bless America!!
Press Release from the House Judiciary Committee:
WASHINGTON – House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), and Immigration Subcommittee Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Constitution Subcommittee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), and Crime Subcommittee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-Va.) called on Attorney General Eric Holder and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to investigate allegations of misconduct by Maricopa County (Arizona) Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Sheriff Arpaio has repeatedly demonstrated disregard for the rights of Hispanics in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Under the guise of immigration enforcement, his staff has conducted raids in residential neighborhoods in a manner condemned by the community as racial profiling. On February 4, 2009, Arpaio invited the media to view the transfer of immigrant detainees to a segregated area of his "tent city" jail, subjecting the detainees to public display and "ritual humiliation." Persistent actions such as these have resulted in numerous lawsuits; while Arpaio spends time and energy on publicity and his reality television show, "Smile… You’re Under Arrest!", Maricopa County has paid millions of dollars in settlements involving dead or injured inmates.
"Racial profiling and segregation are simply not acceptable." said Conyers. "Media stunts and braggadocio are no substitute for fair and effective law enforcement."
"The basic premise of our justice system is that people are innocent until proven otherwise," said Rep. Zoe Lofgren. "I’m concerned that in Maricopa County that basic premise appears to have been turned upside down and that Latino members of community are considered "undocumented" until proven otherwise. That’s not how our Constitution works and it’s time for the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to take a closer look."
"We cannot tolerate vigilantes using the police power to violate the fundamental rights of anyone they can get their hands on," said Nadler. "Sheriff Arpaio has consistently abused his office in violation of federal law. It is time for the federal government to step in and uphold the rule of law in this country, even in Maricopa County." "Law enforcement is not a game or a reality show, it is a public trust," said Scott. "There is no excuse for callous indifference to the rights of the residents of Arizona, whether in their neighborhoods or as pretrial detainees."
Sheriff Arpaio has repeatedly demonstrated disregard for the rights of Hispanics in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Under the guise of immigration enforcement, his staff has conducted raids in residential neighborhoods in a manner condemned by the community as racial profiling. On February 4, 2009, Arpaio invited the media to view the transfer of immigrant detainees to a segregated area of his "tent city" jail, subjecting the detainees to public display and "ritual humiliation." Persistent actions such as these have resulted in numerous lawsuits; while Arpaio spends time and energy on publicity and his reality television show, "Smile… You’re Under Arrest!", Maricopa County has paid millions of dollars in settlements involving dead or injured inmates.
"Racial profiling and segregation are simply not acceptable." said Conyers. "Media stunts and braggadocio are no substitute for fair and effective law enforcement."
"The basic premise of our justice system is that people are innocent until proven otherwise," said Rep. Zoe Lofgren. "I’m concerned that in Maricopa County that basic premise appears to have been turned upside down and that Latino members of community are considered "undocumented" until proven otherwise. That’s not how our Constitution works and it’s time for the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to take a closer look."
"We cannot tolerate vigilantes using the police power to violate the fundamental rights of anyone they can get their hands on," said Nadler. "Sheriff Arpaio has consistently abused his office in violation of federal law. It is time for the federal government to step in and uphold the rule of law in this country, even in Maricopa County." "Law enforcement is not a game or a reality show, it is a public trust," said Scott. "There is no excuse for callous indifference to the rights of the residents of Arizona, whether in their neighborhoods or as pretrial detainees."
3 comments:
About the "House Judiciary Committee", the Supreme Court, the Rule of Law.
Anglo Saxon Laws had some protections of the Individual that were missing in Roman Laws. When these tribes reached England there was a mix or mixture of laws.
Henry VIII and Elizabeth I seem very disrescpectful of a great consuetudinary law. And I think that Oliver Cromwell should have been very disrespectful too.
In the continent there were some advances in law too. I think that the separation of powers is a French Idea with French Evolution.
And the protection of small nobility against kings and the parliaments or courts are not only a French and English Custom, but was very famous and important in Medieval Spain.
This is to say that the Rule of Law is very important, it was lessened during the Bush Administration that thought that only U. S. Citizens deserved Habeas Corpus, when in fact during the Middle Ages, Habeas Corpus applied to Foreigners too.
And there are people who say that even for American Citizens Habeas Corpus was not a secure matter. Like the "American Taliban" or the Canadian "terrorist" Guy.
Mr Obama is a Great Professor of Law, Mr Eric Holder should be another respected Jurist, I guess.
So the Rule of Law is a great advancement not only in America but in the rest of the World, where many European and American Innovations have been copied.
And to let a sheriff to do what he wants with Human Beings, just because he hates and considers others as inferiors is a serious break of Law and "Western Civilization" History. ( as it was with the Nazis ). Or a return to the Progroms of Jews. So common in "Western Civilization".
Let these racists do what they want and things will get worse.
We will return to the times of Herbert Hoover, when many Latinos and Hispanics were expulsed, even if they were American Citizens and could not speak Spanish.
Some say that this abuse was done to millions of Human Beings.
Raciality.com
Milenials.com
Vicente Duque
Best news I've heard in a while!! And I heard it here first...ah, this is such a great blog! I still read you faithfully, even if I don't always have time to comment.
(at the moment, I subscribe to over 50 blogs...aayyy!) I hope things are going well, and the antis are behaving themselves.
Happy Valentine's Day, Dee! :-)
Abrazos,
Analisa
Happy Valentines Day to you to Analisa.
We all miss hearing from you.
I am so glad you stop by when you can!
Hopefully the evil Sheriff will get his due soon.
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