East Anchorage Intelligencer: Paul "Will Free" Kendall Making Waves
I liked how Kyle Hopkins mentioned his business card. I highlighted the key paragraph below, enjoy.
Citizenship occupies Assembly
BAUER PROPOSAL: Verbal battles begin over targeting illegals.
By KYLE HOPKINS
khopkins@adn.com
(Published: September 12, 2007)
Weeks before it will come before the Assembly for a vote, Assemblyman Paul Bauer's plan to force local police to team with federal immigration authorities grabbed the limelight at Tuesday's meeting.
Bauer is proposing a law that could have police asking motorists whether they are U.S. citizens during routine traffic stops and is designed to target illegal immigrants. The plan, which has sparked debate across the city, now goes to the Assembly's public safety committee in November.
The Hispanic Affairs Council of Alaska announced earlier this week that an ad hoc group has formed in opposition to Bauer's plan. Council president Erick Cordero said the proposal is vague, unnecessary and could lead to ill will toward immigrants who are legal U.S. citizens.
"Our concern is that this is going to create racial tensions. It could lead to racial profiling and it simply is not needed," he said.
Paul Kendall, who handed out business cards at Tuesday night's Assembly meeting that read "Complete truths and individual free will," said that Bauer's proposal deserves thoughtful debate and that Alaska in particular should be thinking about illegal immigrants in order to protect the Permanent Fund dividend and future natural gas pipeline jobs.
In 2003, the Assembly passed a resolution protesting the USA Patriot Act. The resolution said Anchorage would not: "Use municipal resources or institutions for the enforcement of federal immigration matters, which are the responsibility of the federal government."
Bauer says that made Anchorage a "sanctuary city" for illegal immigrants, a label that Mayor Mark Begich disputes. Police Capt. Bill Miller said the 2003 resolution didn't change the way police work with immigration authorities.
On Tuesday, Assemblyman Dick Traini handed out a letter from Anchorage Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Kevin Blackmore saying Anchorage is not a sanctuary city.
Bauer has said his proposal is a preventive measure, and meant to keep Anchorage from becoming a gateway for illegal immigrants.
The discussion has already provoked raw talk of race. Assemblyman Allan Tesche compared Bauer's plan to the marking of Jews in Nazi Germany, a comment that Bauer blamed for escalating tension.
Cordero stood in the aisles of the chambers, talking to Bauer after the proposal was introduced. He and Bauer agreed they should make time to talk again.
Citizenship occupies Assembly
BAUER PROPOSAL: Verbal battles begin over targeting illegals.
By KYLE HOPKINS
khopkins@adn.com
(Published: September 12, 2007)
Weeks before it will come before the Assembly for a vote, Assemblyman Paul Bauer's plan to force local police to team with federal immigration authorities grabbed the limelight at Tuesday's meeting.
Bauer is proposing a law that could have police asking motorists whether they are U.S. citizens during routine traffic stops and is designed to target illegal immigrants. The plan, which has sparked debate across the city, now goes to the Assembly's public safety committee in November.
The Hispanic Affairs Council of Alaska announced earlier this week that an ad hoc group has formed in opposition to Bauer's plan. Council president Erick Cordero said the proposal is vague, unnecessary and could lead to ill will toward immigrants who are legal U.S. citizens.
"Our concern is that this is going to create racial tensions. It could lead to racial profiling and it simply is not needed," he said.
Paul Kendall, who handed out business cards at Tuesday night's Assembly meeting that read "Complete truths and individual free will," said that Bauer's proposal deserves thoughtful debate and that Alaska in particular should be thinking about illegal immigrants in order to protect the Permanent Fund dividend and future natural gas pipeline jobs.
In 2003, the Assembly passed a resolution protesting the USA Patriot Act. The resolution said Anchorage would not: "Use municipal resources or institutions for the enforcement of federal immigration matters, which are the responsibility of the federal government."
Bauer says that made Anchorage a "sanctuary city" for illegal immigrants, a label that Mayor Mark Begich disputes. Police Capt. Bill Miller said the 2003 resolution didn't change the way police work with immigration authorities.
On Tuesday, Assemblyman Dick Traini handed out a letter from Anchorage Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Kevin Blackmore saying Anchorage is not a sanctuary city.
Bauer has said his proposal is a preventive measure, and meant to keep Anchorage from becoming a gateway for illegal immigrants.
The discussion has already provoked raw talk of race. Assemblyman Allan Tesche compared Bauer's plan to the marking of Jews in Nazi Germany, a comment that Bauer blamed for escalating tension.
Cordero stood in the aisles of the chambers, talking to Bauer after the proposal was introduced. He and Bauer agreed they should make time to talk again.