Monday, July 12, 2010

More Drivers Ticketed for Minor Offenses

The State of Wisconsin, along with hundreds of its Counties and municipalities, have begun a major crackdown on drivers for minor offenses.

Principal among these is the offense of driving without a seatbelt, or having a non-belted passenger in the car.

Until 2009, such an infraction was regarded as an afterthought. Studies show that only "rural drivers" are likely to be killed or injured if they are not wearing a seat belt and are in a major collision. Urban driving speed limits of 35 MPH generally prevent serious injuries.

But Wisconsin's greed for Federal money and the insatiable local-government desire for more revenues have inspired this horrific abuse of citizens.

Oh, wait!

That's not the story!!

...these days Calderon-Gonzalez and many other illegal immigrants find themselves in deportation proceedings for traffic and various other infractions, says Christine Neumann-Ortiz, director of Voces de la Frontera, a low-wage worker and immigrant advocacy group.

"In the past few years, we have seen a disturbing trend of escalated arrests of non-criminal immigrants who, through collaboration of local law enforcement agencies and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), end up in deportation proceedings," she wrote in a letter to Milwaukee County Board Chairman Lee Holloway and other county supervisors.

So. If you're here illegally and get a traffic citation, it's possible that you'll be deported.

Nevermind.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

psh. seatbelts. they kill more people than they save. same goes for mexicans.

Neo-Con Tastic said...

But, but, but that might lead to racial profiling.

...all those poor white kids.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps law enforcement in the past should have been doing its job and enforcing the statutes. Otherwise, why even pass laws if the police believe they're "no big deal". Regardless, it's a person's responsibility to follow even those "minor" laws, and they should not complain how unfair it is if they get busted. And if municipalities are doing it to increase revenue, so be it. Boo-hoo hoo!

GOR said...

"...non-criminal immigrants...end up in deportation proceedings"...?

If they are here legally, they won't end up in deportation proceedings. So if they do, they must be here illegally. If they're here illegally they have broken the law. A criminal is one who has broken the law. Ergo...

QED

GOR said...

And another thing…

I think organisations like Voces (and Telemundo…) do their own people a disservice by championing the cause of illegals – just as domestic demonstrations in which the Mexican flag is prominently displayed do nothing to evoke sympathy from the rest of us – either native-born or here legally.

And lest you think I’m only referring to Hispanics, I’m not. I have criticized the Irish Government for – each St. Patrick’s Day – bringing up the ‘plight’ of the 50,000+ illegal Irish immigrants in this country. As one who had to follow the rules and wait my time to come here legally 40+ years ago, I have little sympathy for those who break the law to do so – whether by illegal entry or just ‘over-staying their temporary visas’.

Grim said...

I like the way that local law enforcement agencies are painted as "collaborators" with ICE. The expectation is what, exactly?

neomom said...

Progressive thought...

When the government enforces laws they don't like, then the government is evil and mean. When the government enforces laws they like, it is and efficient, kind, and benevolent force for equality and justice.