Bellingham group asks feds to stop using border agents as police interpreters

By JOHN STARK — THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

LYNDEN - Many Hispanic residents are afraid to call local police to report crimes, because Lynden, Blaine and Sumas police often call federal immigration officers to act as interpreters, according to a civil rights complaint that has been filed with the U.S. Department of Justice.

Attorney Daniel Ford of Columbia Legal Services filed the complaint Thursday, June 13, on behalf of Bellingham-based Community to Community Development, a farmworker rights organization. The complaint alleges that the use of Border Patrol officers as interpreters results in a violation of the civil rights of Hispanic residents.

Lynden Police Chief Jack Foster and Sumas Police Chief Chris Haugen said the matter is now in the hands of attorneys and they could not comment. Blaine Border Patrol spokesman Colin Burgin also declined comment. Blaine Police Chief Mike Haslip did not respond to a request for comment.

The complaint also notes that U.S. Border Patrol provides dispatching services for the three small-city police departments, meaning that anyone from those cities who calls 911 for any kind of emergency will wind up talking to a Border Patrol dispatcher.

Angelica Villa, a local Community to Community activist who has been a farmworker, said immigration officers don't restrict themselves to language services when local police call them in.

""People are afraid to call the police if they have problems," Villa said. "Immigration does not come to interpret. They come to ask whether they are in the country illegally."

Attorney Ford's complaint letter to Attorney General Eric Holder and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano asks the Justice Department to order the three cities to cease the practice of using Border Patrol officers as interpreters within 14 days. He also asks for an order stopping them from using Border Patrol as a dispatch service within 30 days.

The 15-page complaint lists several instances in which Hispanic people trying to report fights, domestic violence or medical emergencies found themselves facing Border Patrol agents. In some of those instances, the complaint says, the Hispanics were citizens or legal residents but still faced immigration questioning because they were Hispanic. In other cases, the complaint alleges that the local police officers called in Border Patrol interpreters even when some or all of the people at the scene were bilingual and no interpreters were needed.

The complaint also cites cases in which a Border Patrol interpreter wound up taking people into custody for immigration violations, separating husbands from wives and children.

"Latino residents of the (Blaine, Lynden and Sumas) area have repeatedly said they will not use 911 or police services because of the involvement of immigration authorities with local law enforcement," the complaint letter says. "The threat of immigration apprehension deprives that Latino population of needed public safety services. ... The fusion of state law and immigration enforcement amounts to deprivation of meaningful access to law enforcement services for those of Latino descent."

Ford said there are private professional interpreter services available to local police, and they should use those services or hire their own interpreters instead of relying on the Border Patrol.

Several active members of Whatcom County Democrats attended the press conference to express support.

Daydre Phillips, outreach chairman for the local Democrats, said a woman who has been beaten or raped should not have to fear deportation if she calls police.

"This is not right," Phillips said. "This has to stop. This is the time that we have to stop it. They are human beings. They deserve our respect."

Reach John Stark at 360-715-2274 or john.stark@bellinghamherald.com. Read his Politics blog at blogs.bellinghamherald.com/politics or follow him on Twitter at @bhamheraldpolitics.
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2013/06/15/3053345/bellingham-group...

Views: 80

Comment

You need to be a member of 12160 Social Network to add comments!

Join 12160 Social Network

"Destroying the New World Order"

TOP CONTENT THIS WEEK

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SITE!

mobile page

12160.info/m

12160 Administrators

 

Latest Activity

Doc Vega commented on Doc Vega's blog post Is this proof that the story about Charlie Kirk's assassination is false?
"Less Prone as usual the official version of the truth does not match the evidence and is labeled…"
yesterday
Less Prone commented on Doc Vega's blog post This Memorable Anthem Given by Nick Freitas Hit the Nail on the Head Please Listen!
"Charlie Kirk was getting very critical against Israel and had turned down a lucrative deal from the…"
yesterday
Doc Vega's blog post was featured

The Army of Government Launched Psychopaths

They walk among us in most college towns. They seem relatively reasonable until political…See More
yesterday
Less Prone favorited Doc Vega's blog post Is this proof that the story about Charlie Kirk's assassination is false?
yesterday
Less Prone commented on Doc Vega's blog post Is this proof that the story about Charlie Kirk's assassination is false?
"Have to sign in to YT for this. So. What I do is to go to https://ytdown.io/en/ and download…"
yesterday
Doc Vega commented on Doc Vega's blog post Was a Planned Civil War Averted?
"cheeki kea, you are spot on. The old guard is about to collapse! "
Thursday
Doc Vega commented on Doc Vega's blog post Alligator Creek and a Japanese Massacre
"cheeki kea, the Japanese thought they could expand their empire and exact enough damage on the US…"
Thursday
Michelle Reichert favorited Burbia's video
Wednesday
cheeki kea posted a video

NEW DOCUMENTARY - Dissent Into Madness

TRANSCRIPT AND SOURCES: https://www.corbettreport.com/dissent-into-madness/What if the delusions of the dissidents are in fact real? What if their paranoid f...
Wednesday
cheeki kea commented on Doc Vega's blog post Alligator Creek and a Japanese Massacre
"Japan served themselves up no favours by inching out into the South Pacific as they soon found out.…"
Wednesday
cheeki kea commented on Doc Vega's blog post Was a Planned Civil War Averted?
"Their plans did not work out because we are the news now, and the old news is the enemy. "
Wednesday
Doc Vega posted a blog post

Alligator Creek and a Japanese Massacre

The year is 1942 just a few months after the Pearl Harbor disaster. Despite losses suffered by the…See More
Tuesday
Doc Vega commented on Burbia's video
Thumbnail

CHARLIE KIRK WAS CNP! JOSH REEVES 9-11-25

"With all due respect this guy comes off as a drunken asshole and he didn't even  know who…"
Sep 29
Doc Vega posted a blog post

Was a Planned Civil War Averted?

We are living in sadly historic times where good and evil are in battle all the time. Not that this…See More
Sep 28
Sandy posted a photo
Sep 28
Less Prone posted a video

President Trump addresses U.N. General Assembly - FULL SPEECH

President Donald Trump speaks at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.Full video here: https://www.c-span.org/event/white-house-event/preside...
Sep 28
Burbia posted a video

2 MIN AGO: Western Provinces MAJOR New WEXIT Announcement - Canada EXPLODES!

In a stunning turn of events, Western provinces just made a major new WEXIT announcement — and it’s shaking the foundations of Canadian unity. Is Western sep...
Sep 27
Doc Vega posted a blog post

How You Provoke a Civil War

In the world of counter intelligence which is simply one aspect of many pertaining to asymmetrical…See More
Sep 26
Burbia commented on Burbia's video
Thumbnail

CHARLIE KIRK WAS CNP! JOSH REEVES 9-11-25

"I don't follow as much with Josh Reeves than I use to. He seems to be a documentary producing…"
Sep 25
Burbia posted a video

CHARLIE KIRK WAS CNP! JOSH REEVES 9-11-25

DONATE-paypal-dayglow76@yahoo.comCashapp-reevesradioVenmo-Josh-Reeves-61FILMS AND AUDIOBOOKS DOWNLOAD STORE-https://store.payloadz.com/results/242828-josh-re...
Sep 25

© 2025   Created by truth.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

content and site copyright 12160.info 2007-2019 - all rights reserved. unless otherwise noted