Changes to Operation Linebacker in El Paso

June 29, 2006

BNHR ANDTHE ACLU CAUTIOUSLY ACKNOWLEDGE POSITIVE STEP TAKEN BY SHERIFF’S OFFICE TORESPOND TO COMMUNITY CONCERNS

BNHR and the ACLU Texas Cautiously Commend Sheriff Samaniegoand Demand Further Steps Be Taken to Insure the Protection of Human and Civil Rights

Friday, June 23, 2006, El Paso, TX– Todaythe El Paso County Sheriff temporarily suspended his policy and practice underthe Operation Linebacker program by which he and his deputies engaged in theenforcement of immigration laws. The Border Network for Human Rights and theACLU of Texas commend this action, but demand that the prohibition be permanentand that the Sheriff proactively seek to regain the community’s trust.

For the past months, BorderNetwork for Human Rights has been supporting the effort of communities in EastEl Paso to end the Sheriff’s Office attempts to enforce federal immigrationlaws. According to families and individuals living in the communities of SanElizario, Agua Dulce, Sparks, and Montana Vista, the Sheriff’s Department hasbeen holding immigration roadblocks and conducting immigration raids in theircommunities. Mothers expressed fear in taking their children to school,and other community members spoke of fear of going to the store or calling theSheriff’s Office in the event of a crime, emergency, or even domesticviolence.

In June of 2006 the communities ofEast El Paso presented a petition signed by more than 3,000 persons asking forthe resignation of Sheriff Leo Samaniego and a halt to the policy of harassmentheld by the Sheriff’s Office.

This week, the BNHR and the ACLUof Texas together are moving forward with a strategy integrating grassrootsmobilization, public education, legislation and litigation to stop the policiesof Samaniego and any other Sheriff who engage in similar practices.

The BNHR and the ACLU of Texasbelieve that the Public Safety Statement released by Sheriff Leo Samaniegotoday is a positive step towards ensuring community security and commendSheriff Samaniego and the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office on their position notto enforce federal immigration laws and to end referrals to the Border Patrol.

However, the commendation comescautiously. Both the Border Network for Human Rights and the AmericanCivil Liberties Union of Texas seek clarification of Operation Linebacker, theoperation which appeared to serve as a pretext for many of the activities ofthe Sheriff’s Office which concerned communities. The BNHR and the ACLUof Texas are also concerned about the term “temporary” with reference to thehalt of checkpoints in Sheriff Leo Samaniego’s statement and seek a morepermanent solution.

The Border Network for HumanRights along with community members and other community organizations such asthe ACLU of Texas, will also ask the County Commissioners to pass a resolutionstating that local law enforcement agencies are prohibited from enforcingfederal immigration law. This would affirm the position taken today by theSheriff’s Office. This insures that any Sheriff of the El Paso County isbound to accept those parameters of policy and procedure.

The Border Network for HumanRights, in conjunction with the communities of East El Paso, will continue tomonitor the situation on the ground and document testimony with regards to theviolation of civil rights on the part of the Sheriff’s Office in the comingweeks. This monitoring effort will insure that the words of Sheriff LeoSamaniego are in accordance with the reality as experienced by families andindividuals in our communities. Based on the results of monitoring, thecommunities of East El Paso and the Border Network for Human Rights willconsider withdrawing the petition for the resignation of Leo Samaniego.

However, the Office of the Sheriffis now faced with the challenge of restoring community trust and sense ofsecurity jeopardized by past activities from their office.