Like many large sanctuary cities, Los Angeles has a policy in place for its police department that prevents officers from arresting people for immigration law violations, alone. In fact, it's not unusual for a criminal who is taken into custody in L.A. to have his U.S. immigration status go unchecked while he's locked up. The idea behind this policy, known as Special Order 40, is that it will result in illegal aliens being less hesitant about cooperating with local law enforcement when crimes have been committed.
This idea is a nice notion until, of course, someone gets victimized or injured by an illegal alien who should have been turned over to federal authorities when the police had him behind bars.
Jamiel Shaw, II, was such a victim. He was an outstanding high school athlete. Colleges were recruiting him for their football teams. He had neither a history of problems in school nor any criminal record. His future was bright.
In March 2008, he was murdered just two doors down from his family’s home, early in the evening, by an illegal alien gang member who had been released from jail 24 hours earlier.
That gang member had no business being in our country. He was here illegally. The County should have handed him over to ICE when his jail sentence ended. Instead, the County put him back on the streets. Result: the Shaw family was shattered, for no legitimate reason.
If a gang member is in our country illegally, we should deport him before he commits a murder or other crime, not wait until afterwards. No city in America should be a sanctuary for gangs. Currently, L.A. Mayor Villaraigosa’s “sanctuary city” policy prevents our police from enforcing our immigration laws against any illegal aliens, including gang members, unless and until they are arrested for committing additional crimes. This policy cost Jamiel Shaw his life.
Jamiel -- a young man with an exceptionally promising future -- was murdered, police and prosecutors believe, by a known gang member who was in our country unlawfully.
Jamiel’s murder was preventable, and inexcusable. There is no legitimate reason to extend “sanctuary city” protection to gangs.
The Mayor could end “sanctuary city” protection for gang members with the stroke of a pen, but he refuses to do so. The City Council is just as bad. They refuse even to vote on the matter.
We, the people, therefore need to put law on the ballot to require the Mayor and the Police Chief to investigate and arrest gang members here illegally before they get caught committing crimes, not just afterwards. That is what Jamiel’s Law would do.
Programs to deport gang members only after they commit violent crimes are not enough. For one thing, they are not working: Jamiel’s murderer had been released from jail after serving a sentence, rather than being handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). More importantly, however, there is no reason to wait until after the gang members kill, rape, rob or commit other crimes before getting them out of our city and out of our country.
Our city -- and every other city in America -- should be a sanctuary for people like Jamiel and his family, not a sanctuary for gangs.
We owe it to Jamiel and his family to pass this law. Regardless where you live, please help us put this law on the books. No family should ever again have to endure such a terrible loss -- a loss that was preventable.
Failure to take action against illegal alien gang bangers in our city and state will shatter the lives of more families. That’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. Just ask Danielle Bologna, whose husband and two sons were murdered by an illegal alien gang banger in San Francisco. As Danielle points out, you or your loved ones might be next. Don’t let one more preventable murder happen.
JAMIEL'S LAW
This is a proposed ordinance to deny "sanctuary city" protection to illegal aliens in gangs in the City of Los Angeles.
WHEREAS, the City of Los Angeles is now a "sanctuary city" for illegal aliens due to City policies that prohibit and inhibit the Los Angeles Police Department from investigating violations of federal immigration law (e.g., LAPD Manual Vol. 1, § 390 and Vol. 4, §§ 264.50, 647.35);
WHEREAS, the City of Los Angeles is unsafe for law-abiding citizens, legal aliens and illegal aliens due to the prevalence of gangs that routinely commit crimes including but not limited to murder, extortion, robbery, rape, theft, drug-trafficking, and vandalism;
WHEREAS, many, if not most, of the members of the gangs in Los Angeles are illegal aliens; and
WHEREAS, there is no legitimate public policy reason for the City to extend "sanctuary city" protection to illegal aliens in the gangs that are ravaging our city;
NOW THEREFORE,
THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES
DO ORDAIN ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Jamiel's Law. This short title of this ordinance shall be "Jamiel's Law," in honor of Jamiel Andre Shaw, II, a young man who had an exceptionally promising future until he was murdered in Los Angeles in 2008.
Section 2. No Sanctuary For Gang Members. The policy of this City from this point forward is, and shall be, to deny any "sanctuary city" protection to illegal aliens in gangs. Neither the Mayor, the Chief of the Police nor any other City employee shall prohibit or inhibit Los Angeles Police Department officers from lawfully investigating possible violations of federal immigration laws by gang members.
Section 3. Mandate To Investigate, Arrest And Assist. The Mayor and the Chief of Police shall immediately develop and implement a plan for the Los Angeles Police Department, in cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the United States Attorney, to identify, arrest, deport and/or prosecute and imprison gang members who are in the country illegally, without waiting to catch them committing murders or other crimes before enforcing the immigration laws against them.
Section 4. Reporting Requirement. The Mayor shall provide the City Council and the public with quarterly written reports describing in reasonable detail the City's efforts to implement Jamiel's Law. The reports will include, at a minimum, the number of persons arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department for violating federal immigration laws, and the number of those persons who are gang members.
Section 5. Definitions. For purposes of this ordinance, the terms "gang" and "criminal street gang" shall include any group that fits either or both of the following definitions: a) the definition of "criminal street gang" set forth in the California Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention Act, i.e., California Penal Code §§ 182.20-186.33; and b) the definition of "gang" set forth in the L.A.P.D. Manual, Volume 4, § 269.10. The term "gang member" shall have the same meaning as in the L.A.P.D. Manual, Volume 4, § 269.10, namely, "A juvenile or adult who has been positively identified and documented as a gang member under the California Department of Justice's (DOJ) approved criteria."
Section 6. Severability. If any part or provision of this ordinance, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of the ordinance, including the application of that part or provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected thereby and shall continue in full force and effect. To this end, the provisions of this ordinance are severable.
Jamiel's Law and much of the text that appears on the top half of this web page, was written by Attorney Walter Moore. Mr. Moore is not affiliated with DerailAmnesty.com and is not responsible for placing his materials on this website. For more information about Walter Moore and his political ideas and opinions, please log on to www.waltermooresays.com. Further information about efforts to enact Jamiel's Law can be found at www.jamielslaw.com.