Opinion: A detained immigrant’s DUI charge is nothing trivial

To the editor: Romulo Avelica-Gonzalez entered this country illegally and has had two convictions, including driving under the influence and receipt of stolen property. This year, he was picked up by federal immigration officers after dropping off his daughter at a Highland Park school. (“Lawyers try new legal tactic to free father detained by ICE in front of daughter,” June 5)

Is Avelica-Gonzalez the kind of immigrant our society wants? A DUI incident is not a trivial matter, considering innocent people may be maimed or killed by drunk drivers. A judge was wrong to vacate that conviction last month.

Give me a break and stop this political correctness.

John T. Chiu, Newport Beach

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To the editor: So this is how the city that in effect declared itself a sanctuary for the undocumented shows its love: L.A. City Atty. Mike Feuer blocks a legal maneuver that could bring a detained man home to his four children.

A judge has already vacated one misdemeanor for Avelica-Gonzalez; his lawyers now hope to have a second wiped off his record, potentially bolstering his case for remaining in the U.S. But the city attorney’s office has filed a 77-page brief opposing their action.

As if that weren’t sufficiently egregious, the city attorney intends to take Avelica-Gonzalez to trial to undo the earlier court action.

Self-described “pro-family” Mayor Eric Garcetti needs to have a chat with Feuer — unless he did not actually intend his professions of support for immigrants to result in concrete actions to protect them.

Sarah S. Forth, Los Angeles

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