Protesters Say Gang Sweeps Target Latinos

Latino leaders Monday demanded that Simi Valley police conduct gang sweeps without bringing along U.S. Border Patrol agents to search for illegal immigrants.

Members of El Concilio del Condado de Ventura, the Ventura County Mexican-American Bar Assn. and the county Hispanic Chamber of Commerce gathered at City Hall to ask City Council members to reverse its policy of including immigration agents in Simi Valley’s gang-fighting efforts.

The joint sweeps, opponents said, allow immigration agents to search homes without warrants and round up whomever they can find.

“It’s a fishing expedition,” Simi Valley lawyer Daniel Gonzalez said.

But two council members watching the protest said they had no intention of changing a policy they say has helped cut gang violence.

“We’ve found something that works,” said Councilman Paul Miller, who, along with Councilwoman Barbara Williamson, attended Monday’s protest.

The protest was sparked by a Jan. 23 police raid in which officers were accompanied by reporters, city officials and Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley). Border Patrol agents participating in the early-morning raid detained 20 illegal immigrants.

The sweeps target known or suspected gang members on probation. Police have the authority to enter probationers’ homes, without search warrants, to check for probation violations.

Protesters on Monday said that if Border Patrol agents believe illegal immigrants are living in a particular home, they should obtain a search warrant. By tagging along with police, the agents violate the rights of others living in those homes, including legal U.S. residents, protesters said.

“The person’s status on probation does not mean that all persons in the residence are criminals,” Gonzalez said.

Francisco Dominguez, El Concilio’s executive director, said the group would attend the next City Council meeting to press for a change in the policy that several leaders said unfairly singled out Latinos.

But Miller and Williamson said the policy worked well. They rejected the claim that it was aimed at a particular ethnic group.

“It’s not targeted at Latinos--it’s targeted at people breaking the law,” Miller said. When asked if the gang sweeps would also hit the homes of members of white gangs, Miller responded, “We don’t have any in this town.”