Denver mayor defends illegal immigrant policy

Karen E. Crummy:

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, who has been dogged by critics since two police officers were shot, allegedly by a suspected illegal immigrant, said Wednesday that he stands firmly behind the city's policies on dealing with foreigners.

"Local government's role is not to arrest, confine or expel those without valid visas," he said in an interview. "Our policy is to follow the interpretation of federal law."

Hickenlooper and the Denver Police Department have been accused of running a so-called sanctuary city for illegal immigrants.

Last week, U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., blasted the administration because police did not detain Raul Garcia-Gomez after three routine traffic stops when he produced a valid Mexican driver's license. Garcia-Gomez was a dishwasher at the Cherry Cricket, owned in part by Hickenlooper.

Hickenlooper said it would not be practical for police to take down the names of those suspected to be illegal during traffic stops and forward them to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

Not only would such a practice cause people to fear the police, it would "encourage police officers to make subjective judgments based on someone's appearance, and many people would consider that a form of racial profiling," he said.

With elected representatives like Hickenlooper it is sadly no surprise that we have such a problem with illegal immigration in this country.

Rosen: Closing the sanctuary

LA's Mexican Mayor

Denver Sanctuary Policy Protects Illegal Cop-Killer—Who Also (Get This!) Worked For Mayor

Jailer pokes hole in city's claim