Immigration: You voted. Majority would allow police to check citizenship

Yesterday’s vote, in which we asked you for your views on the LAPD’s Special Order 40, has had more than 1,400 votes so far.

Special Order 40 places limits on when officers can inquire about the citizenship status of suspects. We asked readers to vote on whether LAPD officers should be permitted to ask about citizenship status when stopping people for routine questioning.

Nearly 80% of those who voted think that yes, officers should be able to ask about citizenship status. Nearly 19% of respondents felt that it shouldn’t be allowed. The rest said they had no opinion.

See here for a report on the Los Angeles Times yesterday on a story which has brought Special Order 40 into the spotlight, and an op-ed piece outlining the law more clearly here.

--Deborah Bonello

Comments

[robinia]

Lupita, I feel you girl! The good Lord says to love everybody, doesn't mean we have to "like" them.

Here's a little problem with your "I hate WHITE PEOPLE" comment. I understand there is a small but formidable group of Mexicans who claim that Mexico is a "white-society". These are the youthful folks who rule and probably are in the upper social classes in Mexico City. Go figure? White that speaks English and White that speaks Spanish = White attitude.

Go to YOUTUBE and type in Mexican Faces. I was shocked!

[robinia]

Joe Foebone! If they can't read in English, then it's likely they are not likely to be U.S. citizens and therefore would defeat the purpose of conducting such polls. The particular polls is only valid when U.S.CITIZENS are surveyed. That's is the whole purpose of having LAWS, and DECREES! How stupid are you? Do you have YOUR papers?

[robinia]

Here's a solution to this immigraqtion problem.

1) Let us eliminate the U.S. constitution and the bill of rights.

2) Forget that the United States of America ever existed.

3) American police brutality, crime/gang violence and illiteracy seem to be steadily rising annually needs new stable and an honest politicians.

4) Innovation and technology seem to have shifted to Asia and Europe, so there needs a way to shift it back.

5) Civility, and citizens abiding in decreed laws needs to be re-established.

6) Parents need to re-establish that a University diploma is necessary for prepping their offsprings for the real world, NOT a GED or High School certificate.

How do we do this? Erase our borders, and have the 50 existing North American states, join the union called the United States of Mexico!

They are the mecca of political stability and innovative technology. Their descendants and nationals seem to have all the "right" answers to the North American way of living.

Why don't they prove it? Let's join THEIR union of states! Let their existing government, and way of life be the barometer of innovation and progress.

How many space-shuttles has Mexico launched? What automobiles, computer chips, electronical devices has Mexico created, lately? Not the Mayans and Aztecs. MEXICO?

Then, we won't have any more "immigration-unfair" biasness b.s. Comprende? Let Mexico lead the world.

One stipulation: the 300 million English speakers from these 50 states keep the English language to join the Mexican union.

[Anthony_28]

This is to especially the woman named Lupita, if you hate white people and I would guess all americns, why the hell are you here? You don't belong here and you are infringing on our rights. Who do you think you are? Go back to where you came from and get what you can from the Mexican governmet, and thats a laughing matter. I am of mexican decent and have no respect for a person with your attittude, you don't deserve to be here and the sooner we secure our borders the sooner we will be rid of people like you and your's.

[lupita]

I HATE WHITE PEOPLE

all this stuff is wrong. you people think of us mexicans being like terrorists we are NOT!!!! i thought united states was UNITED guess it's not. I am an american citizen born and raised in the bay area and proud of it but it makes me so mad whenever i hear this type of stuff from childish people it just makes me laugh but deep down inside it hurts me because there is people that risk their life to just come and make some money to help their families. my father was an illegal immigrant. the border patrol "LA MIGRA" came and took my father beat him up and i was just a little girl at the time. You guys don't know how much it hurts me. I have so much hate for people like this and sooner or later it's going to hit them very hard KARMA is a bitch.

[V. Cobb]

Steps to take to rid America of Illegal aliens:
1. America is a nation build on laws. Inforce the laws that are already on the books concerning immigration.
2. Place heavy fines on employers that give illegals employment. Take their business license on the third proven infraction.
3. Stop all social services to illegals expect medical care if their lifes are in imminent danger.
4. Stop the anchor baby policy.
What is so difficult about this situation? Do these four things and you take away the incentive for illegals to come here and they will go home. Middle class America cannot afford to keep paying for illegals to stay here.
They are costing us more than they are worth.

[rtyrty]

Who is this 'majority'? Mostly locals really, or just opportunistic outsiders. This is online after all.
If they're locals, it's worse. Because that means they've been served in one way or another, most likely several ways, by illegal immigrants through various services. Including by getting cheap car washes like the Times reported some week back. It means that this is 'slavery' at work, in the sense that people have no problem with taking advantage of illegal immigrants when it's convenient, but don't think that they owe them anything in return.

[M.A.Andrews]

SURPRISE!!!

Illegal Aliens who read Spanish language
only newspapers probably don't want
to be arrested and deported for their
crimes! Criminal Employers who
privatize their profits while dumping
the social costs on the Nation should
be prosecuted not catered to by L.A.s
Mecha Mayor!!

[Ed Weirdness]

Not surprising at all, considering that similar numbers come up everytime the public is queried (at least in a direct manner) on issues of securing our border and enforcing our immigration laws. As for the poll being in english, well duh! Obviously anybody breaking our immigration laws would prefer not to be apprehended, and if caught, not be prosecuted. I would suspect that the majority of prisoners in our jails (if polled), would vote to limit law enforcements effectiveness. Regardless of how hard so many try to portray this as an issue of race, it remains purely a matter of pragmatism. Too many people chasing limited resources has never been considered sound economic, environmental, social or cultural policy!

[Joe FoneBone]

Not too shocking given the fact that the LA Times is published in ENGLISH. I suspect that the results would be reversed if La Opinion ran the same poll.