Jamiel's Law Gains Momentum

Following the Shaw family's appearance in front of the city council on Tuesday, Jamiel's law, which would reverse L.A.'s sanctuary policy, has gained momentum. Here is how a local news source reported on it...

A proposal to go after gang members who are in the country illegally gained support Thursday from Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine, who said he will seek to amend an LAPD policy that currently bars police officers from asking arrestees about their legal status.

The councilman, who has spent almost 40 years with the Los Angeles Police Department -- in recent years as a reserve officer -- will introduce a motion Friday asking that Special Order 40 be amended to allow police officers to notify federal immigration officials of gang members who are in the United States illegally.

Special Order 40 prohibits Los Angeles police officers from questioning or arresting suspects based solely on their immigration status. The order is intended to encourage illegal immigrants to report crimes and assist police.

While this proposal is a good start, going only after gang members that are illegal is not enough. If someone is here illegally and they have committed a crime, the police must find this out and they must contact the proper authorities, normally ICE. By limiting the law to only gang members, localities will still be stricken with drunk drivers, thieves, and other criminals that are here illegally.

There frankly shouldn't be a debate on this. If someone is here illegally and they have committed or are suspected of committing a crime, they must be deported. In order for this to happen the local authorities must determine their legal status and then report any illegals to the proper authorities. Had this happened in the case of Pedro Espinoza then Jamiel Shaw would still be alive. Just because Espinoza happened to also be a gang member doesn't mean the next violent act by criminal illegal will be done by a gang member.

An Update on Jamiel's Law

A hat tip goes to L.A. area blog Mayor Sam for this story...

This coming Tuesday morning, Jamiel's parents are going to City Hall at 9:45 a.m. to ask the Los Angeles City Council to adopt Jamiel's Law. Set forth below is an e-mail from the Shaws to you, explaining how you can help by joining them at City Hall or contacting the City Council. For more information, go to www.JamielsLaw.com.

Jamiel's Law would again outlaw L.A.'s status as a sanctuary city. Jamiel's Law is named after Jamiel Shaw, a 17 year old high school student with a promising future. Shaw was shot by a gang member named Pedro Espinoza. Espinoza is a gang member with a long rap sheet, and he is also here illegally. Because L.A. had a sanctuary policy, a policy in which police were prohibited from finding the legal status of criminals they arrested, Espinoza was let back on the streets rather than being deported.

Jamiel's Law is being touted by L.A. mayoral candidate, Walter Moore. The city council meeting tomorrow should be a major step toward ending L.A.'s status as a sanctuary city. On the issue of illegal immigration, I firmly believe that liberal pols like Mayor Villaraigosa have totally overestimated the views of the public. Even in a liberal city like L.A. the folks are simply not going to stand for innocent people being killed so that pols can get in tight with open borders lobbyists. Here is how Mayor Sam blog put it...

Forget DWP or anything else going on. This is the number one political problem for Antonio Villaraigosa right now. The usual team will be going full force to put a stop to it. Let's hope that Walter Moore, the Shaws and their supporters go all the way. A move to help prevent the death of innocent teenagers is too important to let the usual LA politics quash it.

I hope firmly that Jamiel's Law becomes a nationwide campaign much like Jessica's Law did in the aftermath of Jessica Lunsford's death, however a good place to start is in L.A.