ANTI-IMMIGRATION ADVOCATES WANT ANAHEIM POLICE TO ENFORCE IMMIGRATION LAWS

The California Coalition for Immigration Reform, a group that advocates severely reduced levels of immigration, is lobbying the Anaheim City Council to authorize local police to arrest suspected undocumented immigrants.  The local office of the US Attorney must also approve the plan.  If approved, Anaheim would be the first city in the country to take advantage of a federal law that allows local police to arrest people based on immigration laws. 

In 1999, the Anaheim City Council passed a resolution to allow local schools to bill the federal government for the cost of educating undocumented immigrants.  The resolution did not go into effect because the Justice Department said that the city had no right to seek such reimbursements, but it did create tensions in the community.

Local police already have the authority to turn over to the INS suspected undocumented immigrants who are arrested on other charges.  However, police are often hesitant to do this because of concerns that it will prevent people from reporting crimes.  A spokesperson for the Anaheim police has said that while the police will do what the City Council orders, the force would prefer to not get involved in immigration enforcement.