Sam Granato works for @#$% Zais who works for City Council who works for the citizens of Yakima so I don't see how someone so low on the totem pole can decide whether or not YPD is going to 'participate in a federal program that grants local agencies authority to arrest immigration violators,' not that I'd necessarily support such a policy but I don't think it's his call to make and that's how the article makes it sound.

Instead of asking for 'immigration reform' we need to ask for federal money to help find and deport illegal aliens.

Oh, and sorry Granato but entering a country illegally MAKES one a criminal.

"We would very quickly fill up our jails with illegal immigrants, and where would the real criminals be?"

Step One... Turn the illegal aliens over to ICE for deportation.

Step Two... Put the 'real criminals" in jail.

Jails don't have to be "brick and mortar palaces". A block of cells with bars would work just fine. The prisoners need no comforts better than any military person at the battlefront. We can build more simple jails, if necessary.

"owentuckerschmidt" is right. The decision is not Granato or Irwin's call whether to enforce the law or not.

We have incompetent law enforcement leaders.

Re: illegal aliens

I find it amazing legal residents do not protest the presence of illegal aliens. They flood the labor market making the labor of the legal residents decline.
The flood of illegal aliens bring criminal activities with them negatively affecting their neighborhoods.

Making illegal aliens "legal" allows each of them the right to compete for jobs by any person seeking employment.
This act alone would drive down wages even further.

sorry Yo Yo's @#$% Zais and the city council cannot order ANY law enforcement officer to arrest anyone period.
Even in Yakima, there is a US constitution that prohibits discrimination and eaul protection for "any person".
Incidnetly, there are over 10 million scofflaws on the books for income tax evasion..lets send the cops after them as well since the feds don't have enough IRS agents to do the job so they hassle innocnet hardworking taxpayers. You could settle the US Obama Debt!

"NO State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any PERSON of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any PERSON within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

That means there would be if the story is correct, 11 million trials for deportation since due process is afforded to every PERSON not withstanding citizenship.And then immigration attorneys would appeal everyone of them to tie up our court system for ever..

Granato and his police officers refuse to participate in deportation of illegal aliens, as a tax payer I am getting real tired of the police refusing to do thier jobs in this regard. It is law enforcements job to enforce laws fedral state county or what ever. Granato needs to go period. As far as the law and justice tax goes dont ever expect my vote (yes) again until you guys get your act together.

Granato and his police officers refuse to participate in deportation of illegal aliens, as a tax payer I am getting real tired of the police refusing to do thier jobs in this regard. It is law enforcements job to enforce laws fedral state county or what ever. Granato needs to go period. As far as the law and justice tax goes dont ever expect my vote (yes) again until you guys get your act together.

I was on Granato's side once, I'm now off his band wagon. The Chief will select which laws he will enforce, great news. Just think the crime rates will now drop as @#$% just make certain crimes legal. Illegal means Illegal, I welcome legal immigrants not the illegal. The City can now rest assured the Chief doesn't have your back, your on your own.

(This comment has been removed by a Yakima Herald-Republic moderator)

"Wiles questioned how local police would even identify illegal immigrants."

They could ask how it's done in other counties, like Maricopa county in Arizona. But that would require effort by our local law enforcement, and apparently they think it's racist to enforce our immigration laws.

MK, thank you for your thoughts but you should seriously reconsider doing the same. Your voice should be heard and needs to be heard.

So when did Yakima residents get to vote on whether or not we want to be a sanctuary city for illegal aliens?

Granato is simply being very logical about having effective law enforcement in the community and calling for immigration reform because he understands that controling immigration is the federal government's charge.

There are many other benefits that would come from immigration reform.....a more lawful society, less social costs and a better allocation of social services expensesl, a healthier society and a better educated society. All would result in a nation better positioned to compete with the global economies.

Also, apart from better enforcement of the borders, all people within our borders without authorization would have to come forth and register with the federal government. Those registering would be required to have an extensive background investigation and either deported or placed on a pathway to eventual legalization which would be earned not given to them. Those failing to register could be deemed to have forfited all of their constitutional rights.

So all of you @#$% should instead call your Congressmen and push them to start moving on immigration reform. They have stalled long enough. Even their NO and lets take one step at a time philosophy now calls for another step forward towards immigration reform.

Don't you all get tired of just @#$%?! Don't you all want to do something constructive to move on this problem?

In this we may agree....it is time for congress to do something.

They can either eigher call for a round up and put them all on a cattle train like they did at the end of WWII back in the 40's after the Mexicans came to to the US to take up the slack on the labor force or we can do the right thing and make our nation proud again.

The chief should understand that upholding the law is his most fundamental responsibility. These people come here illegally. Anyone who does so knows they are doing it, and should understand there are consequences to doing so.
Now if this involved just 10s or 100s, that would just involve the law and the enforcement of it. But it involves many thousands locally, and 100s of thousands statewide, and millions nationally. Not enforcing the law creates motivation for ever-more illegals to come here, and we are already, at great education/medical/welfare/housing cost, absorbing unsustainable numbers of them already. This is what the chief must understand if he is to be believable that he has the interests of the community at heart.

whoami-" I am getting real tired of the police refusing to do their jobs in this regard."

Sorry, but I didn't see where they asked any police if they were going to enforce this or favored it? All I saw was the Chief voice his stance that he made the decision it would not be enforced by his department. Feel free to ask a cop the next time you see one and I bet he will tell you no one asked them.

At first I was taken back by a Police Chief picking and choosing what laws he was going to have enforced, but then it dawned on me.... He is not a Police Officer; he is an appointed politician that has no law enforcing powers. He is an Officer by ceremony and dress alone. I believe that he is simply trying to buy another few feet of the golden road of Yakima because he has seen the Dead End sign and knows it is running out soon. Another last ditch effort to regain once had support.

So would our sheriff and police chief not arrest a counterfeiter, a kidnapper that crosses state lines etc...?
Those too, are federal offenses.

As to losing witnesses to crime, Duh! Perhaps we'd lose the criminals whose crimes they are witnessing as well.

Eloy thinks that City Council can't order law enforcement to enforce immigration law. I guess those 100 jurisdictions doing so under the federal program are magicians.

Point was that's a policy decision and policy is set by the people or the people's representatives, not by unelected departmental heads like Sam Granato. (It could well be that Council has weighed in on the matter, but the article makes it sound like Granato decided.)

"So would our sheriff and police chief not arrest a counterfeiter, a kidnapper that crosses state lines etc...?
Those too, are federal offenses.
"

Why are the xenophobes always comparing real crimes to virtual crimes?


Anyways, heres a good reason these policies arent working.

1- Its not the local police's job to do the task of a federal agency.

2- Theres not enough funds to finance such an operation.

3- Theres not enough workers/man power

4- Deport all illegals in the valley, and the economy will cripple (as would happen anywhere you remove 80 percent of the workforce in your primary industry)

5- The lack of tax dollars would further cripple the economy.

6- The real criminals would more than likely remain on the streets.

While frustration with immigration enforcement is nothing new, it is still the federal government who is responsible. Whether it is President Obama or Congressman Hastings these politicians avoid dealing with the immigration issue other than to pay lip service to it. It's time for someone in Washington D.C. to have the political courage, provide some leadership and get this problem solved. Efforts to reform immigration law at the State and local level are futile - they simply don't have the power under the U.S. Constitution. As citizens we need to step up the pressure on the President and Congress and make them do their jobs.

Ogre,
"Why are the xenophobes always comparing real crimes to virtual crimes?"

Why do race baiting libs always dismiss the costs that illegal aliens impose on our society?

"Why do race baiting libs always dismiss the costs that illegal aliens impose on our society?"

14 billion from schools (according to your own sources), I've seen similar numbers for education and transportation. The amount of money they put into social security alone covers this, and the extra taxes more than secures it.


but I know you're not the best mathematician so you'll continue the same babbling over and over because the real numbers dont fit your agenda.

bulldog,
"Efforts to reform immigration law at the State and local level are futile - they simply don't have the power under the U.S. Constitution."


That's just not true. Where there are local leaders determined to tackle this problem, there have been successful efforts at reducing the burden of illegal immigration on communities. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for national leaders to fix the problem.

This study is several years old, so the costs are probably understated, but it takes into account the costs AND contributions to the federal government. As it says, this doesn't even account for the large costs to state budgets.

http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalfindings.html#Balance

"Balance of Tax and Cost
Illegals Create Large Net Costs. The bottom portion of Table 2 adds together the total tax payments and costs illegals impose on the federal budget. When defense spending is not considered, illegal households are estimated to impose costs on the federal treasury of $6,949 a year or 58 percent of what other households received. When defense spending is included, their costs are only 46 percent those of other households. However, they pay only 28 percent as much in taxes as non-illegal households. As a result, the estimated net cost per illegal household was $2,736. Whether one sees this fiscal deficit as resulting from low tax payments or heavy use of services is a matter of perspective. As already discussed, illegal households comprise 3.6 percent of the total population, but as Table 2 shows they account for an estimated 0.9 percent of taxes paid and 1.4 percent of costs. Thus, both their payments and costs are significantly less than their share of the total population. Since they use so much less in federal services than other households, it probably makes the most sense to see the fiscal deficit as resulting from low tax payments rather than heavy use of public services.

Total Deficit Created by Illegals. If the estimated net fiscal drain of $2,736 a year that each illegal household imposes on the federal treasury is multiplied by the nearly three million illegal households, the total cost comes to $10.4 billion a year. Whether one considers this to be a large sum or not is, of course, a matter of perspective. But, this figure is unambiguously negative and certainly not trivial. It is also worth remembering that these figures are only for the federal government and do not include any costs at the state or local level, where the impact is likely to be significant."

Libs like Ogre try to cherry pick the statistics to show that illegal immigration is good for our country. But the truth is that they are a huge net burden for our society. Common sense tells you that importing other country's poor people and giving them free healthcare, education, food stamps, welfare benefits etc., does not help our country.

There is always going to be an issue with immigration, there is always a lets do this, i want to do that, were going to do this, but yet never falls through so its nothing new. I know a lot of people who are here illegally, good hard working people. Just want to make a living. 11 million illegals i would love to see the USA take them all out (yeah right lol) My mother came here illegally but later got citizenship, she pays taxes, works like everyone else, never had a ticket of some sort, all my family are USA citizens no ones ever been in trouble. So the "illegal criminals" are about the same as americans african americans whatever. Not all are bad. If the illegals ever leave this country which will probably never happen..i would love to see who is going to pick cherries, apples, asparagus, onions, etc. Harvest hops in the cold dark nights, work in kilns, in the heat, Pack apples in warehouses 8 hours a day standing up. I WOULD LOVE to see who is going to do all this. And yet tell me how many homeless illegals do you see begging on the corner of Nob Hill ??? 11 million times taxes most all of them that go out and buy food, clothes, gas etc. How much money will be lost? USA is struggling with the economy already, so imagine the bigger hole US will get. Yes there is good and bad in illegal immigration. I personally think its a good thing. If USA wants it illegals out then find a way other than that stop complaining because it is going to go on for years and years. So learn to deal or move away. Geeze. If you want to do something about it than do something about it. Make suggestions. I doubt 11 million that are here, that all will leave. How about let the 11 million stay here. If they mess up with the law kick them out. Never return so they know they have something to lose, and the rest have better security on all USA borders. And the whole world of countries stay in their own countries, no one is allowed on anyones country but theirs. So say bye bye to vacation in Jamaica or visiting Hong Kong. I would do this so everyone can shut up already. And for people that dont follow the rules ( cruel & unusual punishment) everyone are big babies. I would love to run the world, teach people a thing or two, and stop complaining. My god. If no one agrees with me than suggest your idea and make it happen. Till then illegals will stay here and that is it. Good Day

Look, bottom line is that this is a country founded by illegal aliens who eventually won their war and got to write their own history and creating a new country. As history teaches us, History itself is written by those who win. In this case, it was our founding fathers. Has they lost, they would have been tried for treason and probably executed.

With that being said, lets not forget, or pretend that this nation is just now facing this problem. Imagine if the natives would have been as critical of Anglo's who came here illegally in the beginning? Lets just say this country would be way different today.

Look, whether we want to admit it or not, this country was built on the backs of many different types of illegal immigrants from countries all over the world. Thats right, you need to acknoledge the their was truly "wetbacks" who crossed an entire ocean to arrive to the "New land of opportunity" and they sure were not Mexican. Mexicans were already here and were true Americans before the word even existed. This is a fact.

Today, our economy depends on these immigrants, legal or illegal to put food and veggies we eat on the table. They also build homes, clean hotels and do many other jobs at a much lower rate than many of us Legals would not care to do, or at least not for a low pay.

Hate it or love it, its still makes our economy run and without that labor force, our economy would be like a 1 legged dog, and would probably not make it very far. This too is a fact.

Also, I will be the 1st to acknoledge that illegal immigrants do in fact use resources here and those cost money. But you know what, they also work and pay taxes, L&I, Medicare, and FICA and they never, never, ever, get to see that back. Even those illegals who do claim taxes using the Tax Id Number, they still never recoup the rest of the contributions we all take advantage of.

As Legals, we all get to benefit from those contributions they give and they don't get to draw unemployment, social security benefits or other benefits We get to use.

If you do the math, Illegals contribute billions a year and use way less than they contribute, WAY Less. That too is a fact.

How come folks conviniently leave that out of their opinion driven comments and blogs.

I believe I know the answer......its because they are either Ignorant of the facts, or they are straight up racists (open or behind closed doors) or they just simply like talking out of their $@@ or ALL of the ABOVE.

Quit hating on folks who give more than they take. And by the way, if police started enforcing this, it would very quickly result in police racial profiling, which would result in several lawsuits, costing US tax payers even more dollars that we desperately need right now.

You are right, its not up to just Granado, but its also not up to ignorant/racist residents who have a false sence of reality.

Do your homework and quit hating. Natives didn't hate on white folks ancestors when they first arrived here illegally. Lets go back to our roots and find ways to resolve real criminals.

Have a great weekend haters!!!!!

"Libs like Ogre try to cherry pick the statistics to show that illegal immigration is good for our country"


Yet you use CIS as a source? Arguably the most biased source ever? You do know that this organization is vehemently against all that is immigration, right? legal or not?


anyways, sorry to "cherry pick" your facts but the study only included income tax and not social security or sales taxes paid. Not to mention that according to your own source:


"Since they use so much less in federal services than other households, it probably makes the most sense to see the fiscal deficit as resulting from low tax payments rather than heavy use of public services."


and in no way shape or form did the study even try to calculate the net economic gain from the contribution of a 20 million strong base.



" Common sense tells you that importing other country's poor people and giving them free healthcare, education, food stamps, welfare benefits etc., does not help our country.
"


If you understood ANYTHING about MICRO or MACRO economics and their intricacies, you'd understand that the majority of the people recieving FREE SERVICES are LEGAL CITIZENS.


but I know that you'd rather concentrate on 1% of the guilty people, since you know that the other 99% dont fit your agenda.

grand majority of all illegal immigrants will never, NEVER qualify for the services you CLAIM they use ... and even the ones that do, most of them being mothers of LEGAL CHILDREN, hence, its the children getting the benefits, not the parents...


but I know that this little fact is so hard for you to understand. You just said that they're using up ALL the free services, yet your own source (which happens to be anti immigration by the way) even stated that illegal immigrants hardly use any of them.


So which one of your sources should I trust since they completely contradict your claims?

What part of ILLEGAL does eveyone NOT understand????
First you do a story on identity theft, but you wont arrest the illegals who are using someone elses identity..
Makes no sense what so ever. If I used someone elses SS card, I would be put in jail, end of story. Enough already.
If you are here ILLEGALLY..you are ILLEGAL...If I ran a stop sign, would you say I just sort of ran the sign??? I for one am feed up paying for anchor babies and feeling sorry for anyone who does not follow the rules! Im not a bigot, my sister in law is hispanic, and here legally. She is upset too that no one does anything and how unfair this is all becoming. TAKE A STAND already!

Take a stand for comprehensive immigration reform.

BuckarooCoyote, you are so silly. You make me laugh with your comments.

I can just picture you already with a shotgun, straw hat, jean overalls, a bottle of cheap liquior, and a big nose with a nasty pimple on it yelling while you wave the US flag and claiming that unless everyone believes just like you, they are no longer US patriots!

You kill me with your narrow and slightly humorous comments.

"TAKE A STAND already!" you say. Good one. Calm down Mr. Hillbilly Revolutionary! You are killing me with your humor.

Its almost as if you want to fit the general Hillbilly stereotype. Lol! Ha ha ha ha! Keep your comments coming, they wont stop coming just like the illegals you hate so much.

Let me guess, you are either a Republican or a proud new member of the Tea Party right? Ha ha ha!

See you at the next minuteman rally! Don't forget your white sheets conehead!

Question for all you pro amnesty types. Does it bother you that Obama stole your slogan ("yes we can!") for his campaign, and then broke his promises to give you amnesty?

How's that hopey changey thing working for you?

Actually, as I can recall, its been Republican filibusters that are hindering progress, for everyone.

"The party of no" makes perfect sense. The only major initiatives the party has accomplished in the past several years is cut taxes for the rich, which is why were running such a huge deficit.

Thank God that "the party of no" is saying no to Obama's destructive policies. After November, you'll have to refer to them as "the majority party of no"

Hey Hector Franco, your are completely wrong. Giving citizenship to all of the illegal aliens in this country will sink our economy. We need to make it very difficult for ALL illegal aliens to live here. That means making it illegal for government and business to cater to those that don't speak English! I am getting sick and tired of those that tout immigration reform. How about enforce the laws on the books! We need a new police chief!

ITS NOT GOVERNMENT THATS BROKEN, BUT THE POLITICAL SYSTEM ITSELF, because open border lobbyists, can buy and sell Washington votes. Americans must use their vote to remove this corruption, by making an example of Reid and Pelosi. Start pumping out these Sacramento septic tanks of filth, that has turned against the American worker and giving access to approximately 8 million illegal alien workers. We need true conservatives in the capitol, in state assemblies--not radical Liberals or even wealthy Republicans. Drain the cesspool from Washington in the midterm and future election, as all they care about is building a career in office and campaign contributions. Say--NO to AMNESTY, say No to birthright citizenship, when Mother is an illegal alien. Say--NO--ANY--government handouts or entitlements, including education, only emergency health care procedures.
As a "Liberal Politically Correct" disguised issue the terminology "Uncompensated Care" carries a significant expense to taxpayers. Billions of Billions of dollars are forced from the taxpayers wallets paying for illegal immigrants, who should never crossed into American soil in the first place. We pick up the bills for education to at least k-12 for children of illegal immigrants, but where does the money come for illegal students in state colleges? Then they use the word "Uncompensated care" for health treatment of emergency care that has closed down many hospitals in California. But their are finally the unknown amount of government at state, county and city entitlement. This doesn't even account for the "uncompensated money" that is paid out for hundreds of thousands of "Anchor Babies" of pregnant Mothers slipping through the enforcement net at the airport, border to give birth and thereby getting instant citizenship; a travesty of our immigration laws opening the door wide-open for food stamps, housing and the rest of the families settlement here.
Remember legal pregnant women have to pay for there natal care, unless they are low income. Uncompensated care is passed onto any US patient in their potential bills, the insurance companies unlike for illegal nationals who pay---NOTHING.

Say--NO-- to Liberal empowerment that has brought SANCTUARY STATES like California to near bankruptcy. Say--YES--to TRUE CONSERVATISM and the Independent Tea Baggers platform, without Republican intervention. Say--YES--to E-Verify, as a permanent deterrent across the country with rigid ICE raids. Say--YES--to expanded--1-9s Audits, with no exceptions on any business. Say--YES--to imprisonment to ruthless businesses that use foreign labor and--PAY--NOTHING towards the costs. Put the National Guard on the Canadian and Southern border.Address the issue of visa over stays, who come here as visitors, students and deport them. GET INVOLVED AND BOMBARD YOUR PITIFUL REPRESENTATIVES IN WASHINGTON AT 202-224-312. Learn more at NUMBERSUSA & JUDICIALWATCH We also the 287 (G) local police arrest and detainment enforced and mandated for every law department across the country, including in every so-called Sanctuary Haven for illegal aliens. Nor should President Obama and his Homeland Security Secretary rescind No-Match-Letters to businesses from the IRS or drain funding from ICE raids.

No Copyright! Pass around. American Jobs for American Workers. One flag, one language.

SelahResident,

Obviously, we don't agree on this issue but we do agree that something needs to be done so instead of whinning call Doc and tell him to get off his butt and do something...anything! Round em up and ship them out or provide a way for them to earn their place by working like they already are.

Enforceing the laws as they exist is more difficult then you think. It is not just about spouting words. Imagine all undocumented workers being gone and the economy would tank for lack of workers and their purchasing power. Even if you argue that the white workers would take those jobs, which is a big if, you still lose all of the purchasing power and you would have a further disruption of the economy while the undocumented workers were rounded up and shipped out and the unemployed white workers were trained for the work that the undocumented workers do now. Ask any general contractor why they prefer an undocumented worker and they will tell you that their work ethic is better and they make more profit off each job.

Either way get Doc and his cronies to do something,...anything, please...don't you guys get tired of waiting.................for the next step of their one step at a time.

rjames,


Don't you get it yet, that Obama and the Democratic party are on to their plan and that they will smoke them out and your dream of a Party of No will be just that,... a dream.

The best editorial that I have read thus far on the negative impact that the Party of No is having on their former members is by Michael Smerconish who writes a weekly column for The Philadalphia Inquirer. Check out his latest column titled, "Sorry but for me, the party is over" wherein he writes about why he left the republican party after 30 years of active membership. While he does not embrace the Democratic party, he became an independent, he is nonetheless very objective and logical when he writes, "I think that President Obama is earnest, smart and much more centerist then his tea party caricature suggests. He has never been given a fair chance to succeed by those who openly crow about their desire to see him fail (while somehow congratulating one another on their relative patriotisim."

Check him out he was one of yours until he got tired of the Party of NO!

Brittanicus,

Wow man, you sound like a fanatic on the fringe! You must feel right at home in Yakima!

Fortunately, you are on the fringe because not all feel as you do.

Again, I refer you to Michael Smerconish's column, "Sorry but for me, the party is over." at www.mastalk.com go to his web page then to the Philadalphia Inquirer column dated 2/21/10.

A direct quote for your benefit, "I will miss casting a ballot in the spring, as the Pennsylvania election laws prohbits unaffiliated voters from voting in GOP or Democratic primary elections. Instead, I'll join the others who bide their time until fall, when we can temper the extremes of both parties."

So you and I will cancell each other out and the deceiding votes will be from those less hotheaded.

Selahresident...Why do I have the feeling that you don't know about past amnesty programs?which... surprisingly!!
failed to cripple the economy. If this boggles your mind, I'm sorry.

What happens with foreign exchange students when they act out/break laws? They are visiting here, being 'productive' and acting in good faith. They are documented, and there whereabouts are known. What makes a visiting odd-jobber different?

Brittanicus, there can be no doubt you are a Nazi bigot. Illegal immigration is a problem, but your "solutions" are nothing short of fascist's wet dream. Shame on you and your hate-filled heart.

As for the rest of you Mexican haters, I double dog dare you to challenge the City Council to set Chief Granato straight on who sets policy. It would be hilarious watching them dive for cover.

Indie,

As a horse holder for the chief, you and your fellow horse holders would be wise to inform your master to never underestimate his adversaries, because believe it or not, he may be the largest, but not the badest or sharpest tool in the shed.

Chicano Family..You are soooooooooo far off on me! Im what would qualify as a hippie, I have VERY liberal views, and I am actually Native American. So as far as Im concerned, all of you are here ILLEGALLY! I dont own a gun, hate the tea party and pretty much all of the organized parties. Glad I make you laugh...Wanna try slamming me again for the truth?? What part of being here illegally do you not understand???? Wait, you will yell the loudest when someone else is using your S.S. card and identity theft hits home.
If I went to Mexico WITHOUT proper documentation, I'd be put in prison..No questions asked...

Let us not slip into the fallacy of jealous reactions.

The issue seems to be, how much are you willing to pay?

I don't think that the Chief is saying 'Because sometimes the bad guy gets away while we're busy trying to deport victims, I have unilateral authority to make Amnesty policy under prosecutorial discretion and such...'

I really don't think that's what he's trying to say.

It's a resources issue.