Alamance County, NC Board of Commissioners Facing 3rd 287(g) Resolution

April 28, 2009

Alamance County, NC Board of Commissioners Facing 3rd 287(g) Resolution

Rossi Rides Again

If you've read my previous post: Alamance: 287g Battleground. Burlington, NC you know that we're having kind of a showdown here about illegal immigration and the top-notch enforcement of the 287(g) program by our Sheriff, Terry Johnson.

After the Board of Commissioners passed a resolution to support Sheriff Terry Johnson's 287(g) illegal immigration enforcement program, a local attorney, Ebher Rossi ask the board if they would consider a resolution supporting the equal protection clause of the United States Constitution.

This clause in Section 1 of the 14th Amendment states that no state shall "deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

According to the Friday, April 24th article in The Times-News about this, Rossi said that he will provide a draft soon and added he wants his resolution to serve as a reminder to the commissioners to uphold their oaths to support the Constitution. (which 4 of them are by supporting 287(g)...)

I hope that the Commissioners read Mr. Rossi's draft very, very carefully and proceed with utmost caution. I feel some slick trickery is about to take place. Or, as my dad used to say: "I'm glad I have by brown shoes on!"

If you've been a follower of my ramblings for long, you'll recognize the name Ebher Rossi from this post: Burlington, North Carolina Paper is Biased towards Illegal Immigration.

Here are some quotes from the April 24th article on Rossi's resolution:

Critics contend the sheriff's office is profiling Hispanics by arresting them for minor traffic stops, among other things. A recent study showed that nearly 1 in 4 of those stopped and charged with traffic violations from 2006 to 2008 were Hispanic. "I'm not sure it suggests profiling ... but it raises the inference of profiling," Rossi said.

Not true. This study proved nothing. Again, please see my previous post: Alamance: 287g Battleground. Burlington, NC where I talk about this "study".

As an attorney who works in District Court "five days a week," Rossi said he doesn't "see any white people being arrested for driving without a license, but I do see Hispanics arrested for that charge."

- Ebher Rossi

So? I've been to traffic court for a few speeding tickets and I'm white. But I have a license. I can verify that law enforcement does not pass up stopping me because I'm white. Mr. Rossi is simply trying to stir up and mobilize the local liberal hornets nest with ludicrous statements like this. I believe that as an attorney he should know the difference between fact and fiction. Just because he hasn't noticed any "white folk" in court for driving without a license does not mean that none have been ticketed. Maybe he just didn't notice. Perhaps they took care of it outside of court. The fact is that the majority of tickets for driving without a license probably are given to illegal immigrants because they can't get a license. And another fact is, that in this area, the majority of illegal immigrants are Hispanic in nature. So it stands to reason that Hispanics would show up as being ticketed more for this offense. They can't get a license because they are here illegally - that means breaking the law for those that seem to have forgotten - and they choose to go ahead and drive without a license anyway.

When you add all the facts up, any law enforcement officer worth his or her salt would naturally make sure that everyone they stop has valid identification and a license to drive. They would also treat everyone with respect: which I believe they do. It's not their fault, and it's certainly not racial profiling if the majority of people driving without a license are Hispanic illegal immigrants. The Officers are doing their job and I commend them for it.

It's sad that people like Mr. Rossi infer that our law enforcement officers should look the other way and ignore the obvious.

Despite the commissioners' 4-1 rejection of Vaughan's motion, Rossi thinks the majority of Alamance County residents oppose 287(g).

- Ebher Rossi

Again, what Rossi thinks the rest of us think does not matter. He has the same condescending attitude that Laura Roselle (who conducted the study he references in the previous quote), Professor of Political Science at Elon University, NC, and Robert Anderson, Associate Professor of Political Science at Elon University, NC have - they think they know more than everyone else and that anyone not in agreement with them is stupid.

Hey... no need to vote or have an election - just let these guys make the laws: they know everything anyway.

Moreover, 287(g) supporters represent a "small, vocal group of people who are extremely intolerant," Rossi said. "We live in a small community where it is politically acceptable to make outlandish racist comments."

- Ebher Rossi

I guess he's talking about people like me! Well, that's what makes this country great. Too bad people like Ebher Rossi want to destroy it. There's not much I have to do to make my point other than just keep quoting him!

Here's a little more about Ebher Rossi taken from the "about" page on his website, Rossi Law Firm.

Ebher Rossi

The Rossi Law Firm is located in Alamance County North Carolina. We have a bi-lingual staff that is fluent in English and Spanish.

Ebher O. Rossi Jr. is a graduate of the Fordham University School of Law and speaks English and Spanish fluently.

Prior to founding the Rossi Law Firm, Mr. Rossi worked for the North Carolina General Assembly as Legal Counsel to the Senate and House Insurance Committees and the Senate State & Local Government Committee. Mr. Rossi also worked for the North Carolina Employment Security Commission.

Mr. Rossi was appointed to the North Carolina Courts Commission and the Governor's Advisory Council on Hispanic and Latino Affairs.

Double Barreled Opinions

Alamance County, NC Board of Commissioners Facing 3rd 287(g) Resolution