A Hidden System, A Police Chief and One Hairbrained Idea

George Gascón, a former assistant chief in the Los Angeles Police Department, is a lawyer and the chief of the police department in Mesa, Arizona writes an Op-Ed in the NY-Times entitled: "The Laws Cops Can't Enforce

"Without a national immigration policy, a new culture of lawlessness will increasingly permeate our society. In cities, politicians will pressure police departments to reduce immigration by using racial profiling and harassment. At the same time, immigrants who fear that the police will help deport them will rely less on their local officers and instead give thugs control of their neighborhoods.

The Bush Administration weighed in with one amazingly hairbrained idea: "Operation Scheduled Departure". Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is launching the operation on August 5 in the following cities: Santa Ana, California; San Diego; Phoenix; Chicago; and Charlotte, N.C.

ICE spokeswoman Cori Bassett said that the program will end August 22, adding that program is aimed at people who have been ordered to leave the country but remain in the United States and have not committed a crime. Those that come forward will not be jailed and will not be required to wear tracking devices, according to Bassett.

Jim Hayes, the acting ICE detention and removal director, said about 572,000 people in the country had final deportation orders but had not committed a crime. - AP