Lake sheriff defends detentions (Orlando Sentinel)

Lake sheriff defends detentions
Hispanics and their advocates confront Borders over what they call profiling

Anthony Colarossi Sentinel Staff Writer
9:55 PM EDT, June 23, 2009

SORRENTO - Lake County Sheriff Gary Borders heard from an emotional -- and often angry -- crowd Tuesday night about his department's detentions of suspected illegal immigrants.

The Rev. Gianni Agostinelli, a Roman Catholic priest, talked about the arrests of undocumented individuals by Borders' deputies for the U.S. Border Patrol. He and others attending a forum at First Baptist Church of Sorrento said individuals -- mostly Hispanics -- are being stopped and detained without criminal charges against them.

Agostinelli described a case of five people from Guatemala arrested and turned over to federal authorities this week.

"They were walking to work. None of them were charged with anything," Agostinelli said. "If this is not [racial] profiling, then what do we call that?"

Borders insisted -- as he has many times in the past -- that his deputies do not engage in racial or ethnic profiling. They do ask for proper identification when drivers are stopped for traffic violations. And if individuals cannot provide identification, federal authorities are sometimes contacted to check the individual's immigration status, Borders said.

If the Border Patrol issues a detainer for a person, Lake deputies take these individuals to the Lake County Jail. "He [the deputy] doesn't make that decision whether they're going to go to jail or not. Border Patrol makes that decision," Borders said.

Borders was asked if his deputies are putting a focus on crime fighting or immigration. He said crime-fighting is always a priority in his department. "If you're a victim of a crime, that's going to be our focus," Borders told the group of about 75 that crowded the church.

At one point during the questioning Borders stated, "I don't think all Latin people or Hispanic people are criminals."

At another point, Borders said, "I didn't have to come here. But I did want to hear the concerns. I am learning stuff tonight."

Sister Ann Kendrick, with Hope Community Center, also questioned whether deputies are profiling.

"It used to be driving while black. Now it's driving while Mexican or Latino," she said. "People are terrified. They're afraid to drive. Please change your policies. Please lead with compassion."

Borders said he will continue communications with the community and would consider having a citizens advisory panel look at the issue, but he gave no firm promises that deputies would stop contacting federal immigration officials if they question someone's citizenship status.