One hand, in Houston, does not know what the other one is doing.
Cop Killing Sparks Immigration Debate
Police Chief Blames Federal Government for Officer's Death
Sept. 25, 2006 — The shooting of a Houston
police officer has sparked a new battle over immigration.
Juan Leonardo Quintero, an illegal immigrant, has been charged with killing a Houston police officer last week after a routine traffic stop.
Police Chief Harold Hurtt blamed the federal government for failing to secure U.S. borders.
Quintero allegedly shot Officer Rodney Johnson four times in the head while in handcuffs in the back seat of his patrol car.
Johnson arrested Quintero during a routine traffic stop for speeding but apparently missed the suspect's gun in a pat-down search.
Following the shooting, a video showed Houston police officers pulling open the back doors of Johnson's patrol car and yanking the suspect out of the back seat.
"It's very easy to make a mistake. I am not saying a mistake was made," one Houston police officer said. "Unfortunately, we are in the business where a mistake can kill you."
The suspect should not have been in the United States.
Quintero was deported in 2004 after a conviction for indecency with a child. "The subject was deported, and yet he came back, so if the government fulfilled their responsibility of protecting the border we would probably not be standing here today," Hurtt said.
The Houston Police Department has been struggling this year to deal with the influx of Katrina evacuees and an immigration problem that is only getting worse.
Border Patrol said thousands of illegal immigrants crossed into the United States each month. Johnson received a commendation for valor for pulling several children from a burning building. He leaves behind a wife who is also a police officer and their five children.
What a load of hogwash. Chief Hurt fails t tell you that it is his departments standing policy NOT TO INQURE ABOUT IMAGRATION STATUS. Yes, you read that right. While Hurt is under siege for mismanagement ad votes of no confidence from his officers, he is out there telling the world that it is the feds fault Johnson was killed while ignoring the OFFICIAL HPD POLIOCY that the officers will not question suspects as to their immigration status. Had Johnson or any other officer had been able to find this out this man would have been deported again. The border needs to be secure, catch and release doesn’t work, but not catching is even less effective.
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