Ala. troopers' immigration duties draw fire

[Eugene]

(The Boston Globe)

Ala. troopers' immigration duties draw fire
Some see profiling in arrests; officials say program works

By Yvonne Abraham, Globe Staff | June 24, 2006

In the three years since state troopers in Alabama were empowered to enforce federal
immigration laws, they have arrested nearly 200 undocumented immigrants, mostly people
they encountered during routine traffic stops for offenses such as failing to wear
a seat belt or having a broken tail light.

Alabama troopers say the unusual agreement between the state and the federal Department
of Immigration and Customs Enforcement -- similar to the one Governor Romney is seeking
for state troopers in Massachusetts -- has been a success. Alabama's governor, Bob
Riley, recently requested that more troopers be trained by Immigration and Customs
Enforcement .

"Troopers were on a daily basis confronted with situations they were (not equipped)
to handle," said Martha Earnhardt, spokeswoman for the Alabama Department of Public
Safety. "Their jobs haven't changed, but this gives them an additional resource."

But the agreement has touched off controversy. Immigrant and civil rights activists
contend it has led to police officers engaging in racial profiling, and has undermined
immigrants' trust in law enforcement . They say Latino drivers are being pulled over
for extremely minor offenses, such as having a torn registration sticker on their
license plate or having one tire cross over a lane divider on the highway.

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Full article: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/06/24/ala_troopers_immigration_duties_draw_fire
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