Over the past few months, KDNK has reported on a number of early-morning raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Here's our series about how the immigration system and those early-morning raids are playing out here in the valley.
In mid-August a group of Republican lawmakers from Colorado traveled to Arizona to study immigration. The idea was to better understand the situation there and study state statutes, including Arizona's controversial new immigration law, Senate Bill 1070, that requires law enforcement to inquire on the immigration status of suspected illegal immigrants. Lawmakers discovered Colorado has some strong immigration laws on the books that aren't being enforced. KDNK's Conrad Wilson spoke about the trip with House Representative Laura Bradford who represents the Western slope communities of Palisade, Grand Junction and Collbran.
When local cops help out immigration officers, one of their biggest concerns is that they’re alienating the immigrant community. The downside is that immigrants won’t report crimes.
One initiative the governor is considering could make that fear even more justified. KDNK’s Mathew Katz has a firsthand look at why some immigrants are terrified of reporting crimes.
All this week, we’ll be taking a look at the intersection of immigration and law enforcement. With immigration becoming an increasingly controversial topic, local sheriffs have been working more and more with immigration enforcement officials to deal with immigrants that commit crimes. Where candidates stand on that relationship has become a key issue in upcoming sheriff’s elections in both Pitkin and Garfield County. KDNK’s Mathew Katz has more.
Over the past few weeks, we've brought you the story of Marco Guevara, a Carbondale man who up until recently thought he was a U.S. citizen and had a U.S. passport. Last month, he was swept up in a series of immigration enforcement raids targeting gang members. Guevara says he's both a citizen, and also not a gang member, and authorities eventually let him go after seeing his passport.
Last week, the state department revoked Guevara's passport, claiming he was never a citizen in the first place. The entire situation is another example of the confusing maze that is our current immigration system. Guevara's not alone -- thousands of citizens and legal immigrants are detained and deported every year. Jackie Stevens is Professor of Political Science at Northwestern University. She spoke with KDNK's Mathew Katz about her extensive research into this area.
Last week, immigration agents and local police swept through the valley detaining and beginning deportation procedures on thirty alleged immigrant gang members. ICE agents also raided another house here in Carbondale, but there was one problem: their target was a U.S. citizen. KDNK’s Mathew Katz has more.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents wrapped up a five-day raid in Western Colorado this week, arresting 30 alleged gang members throughout the region, with many in Carbondale. KDNK’s Conrad Wilson reports.
KDNK Local Newscast
KDNK News for Thursday September 9, 2010 with Steve Cole and KDNK's news team.
