A Logical Solution May Not Be Had

A recent murder of a high school football star in Los Angeles recently has brought up an ugly fact about "law enforcement" in the City of Angels.
The coddling of illegal aliens in an attempt to "fight crime"
The gunning down of 17 year-old Jamiel Shaw,who was black, by gangster, suspect Pedro Espinoza, has opened up the dirty little-known Los Angeles police Special Order 40.
Special Order 40 was instituted in 1979 by former Los Angeles police chief Daryl Gates and it does not allow police officer to question suspects as to their immigration status. It was instituted as a way for those who break the law by being in the United States illegally, but have committed no other crimes to identify those who have committed crimes. The whole order is the ultimate catch-22.
In the case of Mr. Espinoza, he was in Los Angeles county jail on an unrelated weapons charge. While in custody, the police did not inquire to his immigration status. And, the day before Mr. Espinoza was suspected in gunning down Mr. Shaw, he was released from custody. Had the police inquired about Mr. Espinoza's immigration status, he would have been turned over to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. And, he would not have been out on the streets and Mr. Shaw would more than likely be alive today.
Now, Los Angeles city councilman Dennis Zine wants to clarify and codify that police can ask a suspect in custody their immigration status if it may have relevance to the potential charge. Supposedly, police can ask according to the windbag mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, or soon to be Villar. But, it is not clear in the provision.
But, of course the enablers for the illegal aliens, people like Mr. Villar and a woman by the name of Sara Zapata de Mijares who heads a local immigration "rights" group, Mundo Maya Foundation are crying foul.
Mr. Villar said that the ICE should be concentrating on the criminal gang elements, and he was told that ICE does not have the resources. Hey Mr. Villar, that is what the LAPD is supposed to do. You sir, are trying to pass the buck on this one.
But, Miss Zapata de Mirajes has the topper as to the efforts of Mr. Zine to bring sanity to an insane special order:
Amending Special Order 40, however is neither a just nor appropriate response to the young man's death. Instead we are certain police officers acting as immigration officials with suspected gang members will exacerbate the already tenuous relationship between the community and the men and women in blue. An amendment would continue to pit African-American brothers and sisters against the Latino community.
It is the classic shell game.
Mr. Villar blames ICE for not doing its job, which would impinge on local law enforcement. And Miss Zapata de Mijares runs the political correct gamut while saying that LAPD officers should not act as immigration officials. And, of course don't mention the name of Jamil Shaw for it would actually put a name to the "young man" killed by suspect Espinoza. And just for extra added PC, mention that there is the "pitting" of blacks against Hispanics.
All that this amendment would do is protect the police so that when it may be plain as the nose on the face that a suspect is an illegal alien, the police can notify ICE and the deportation process can begin. And that suspect would remain incarcerated, not a potential threat to the community.
The motion that was presented to the Los Angeles city council by Mr. Zine reads in part this:
While the overall policy goal of providing equitable public safety services to the people of Los Angeles must rightly be preserved, Special Order 40 should also be modified to address the specific situations of known gang members who are also undocumented immigrants.
That is important because while it will modify the special order, it will be balanced. It does not turn the LAPD into ICE agents.
Here is the actual motion submitted to the council:
I THEREFORE MOVE that the City Council request the Chief of Police and the Board of Police Commissioners to modify Special Order 40 to state that when, in the course of gang suppression investigations, LAPD officers are able to verify that a suspect is a known gang member, those officers be instructed to obtain information on the suspects immigration status and transmit that information to ICE.
I FURTHER MOVE that this modification to Special Order 40 also include a provision stating that if a known gang member is arrested by LAPD, and the person is also found to be an undocumented immigrant, that an immigration hold be placed on the arrestee by LAPD until such time as the arrestee may be released to the custody of ICE.
Now, what is wrong with that? Does that not clarify and codify the stated policy of Special Order 40 and make clear that only in an investigation of suspected criminal activity can the police inquire about said suspects immigration status.
It does not turn the LAPD into ICE agents as asserted by Miss Zapata de Mijares. And it will either prove Mr. Villar is right that when the police does notify ICE, they turn a blind eye or that he is, well fibbing.
It is a simple, logical solution to a problem of how gangs now operate not just in Los Angeles but in many major and not so major cities in the United States. With such international gangs an MS13 an American prison gangs as the Mexican Mafia showing no mercy and internationalizing gang activity, it is incumbent on the elected officials of Los Angeles and other cities to take a look at how they balance gang suppression, public safety and deporting known illegal aliens.
As an aside, my stepson is a legislative aide to Mr. Zine and wrote the proposed legislation. And, it should be noted that he is not like the old man. He is on the liberal side. And, if anyone tries to tell you that it is only xenophobic, right-wingers who want to throw all the Mexicans back, it is a bipartisan issue.

HT: Los Angeles Daily News, Los Angeles City Council