Simi Demands Border Patrol Resume Role in Gang Sweeps

SIMI VALLEY —  Worried about the threat of gang violence in one of the nation’s safest cities, Simi Valley officials pleaded Thursday for the U.S. Border Patrol to resume its practice of hunting illegal immigrants during probation searches of gang members’ homes.

Mayor Greg Stratton wrote an impassioned letter to U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley), alleging that the Border Patrol is violating U.S. immigration laws by refusing to arrest illegal immigrants.

The Immigration and Naturalization Service’s Border Patrol has joined Simi Valley police on 11 probation sweeps since 1995 and collared dozens of illegal immigrants.

But last week, the INS said it would stop and reexamine the practice, which apparently violates a Carter administration policy forbidding the Border Patrol to join police raids on probationers’ homes.

Stratton and other city officials have long held that illegal immigrants in one of Simi Valley’s two major gangs contribute to periodic spates of street violence.

“In our view, the application of this internal policy contradicts federal immigration law, which the INS is responsible for enforcing,” said Stratton’s letter to Gallegly, dated Wednesday. “The impact of this position is to eliminate a key resource that has been an effective part of our zero tolerance approach to the gang presence in our community.”

Stratton mailed copies of his protest letter to President Clinton and U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, saying, “We are gravely concerned with the INS decision to no longer be part of our efforts. And we seek your assistance in bringing our concerns to the appropriate individuals who can rectify this unfortunate change in direction.”

Gallegly issued an incendiary letter of his own Wednesday, slamming the INS for putting Simi Valley at risk from “violent, criminal aliens.”

“Your refusal to back this successful policy is yet another example of INS’ indifference and dereliction of duty,” Gallegly wrote to INS Commissioner Doris Meissner.

The letter goes on to cite the scandal surrounding the INS decision to release immigrants with criminal records from its Krome detention facility in Miami, and subsequent allegations of an INS cover-up.

“Has INS turned its back on the law abiding citizens of this country?” says Gallegly’s letter, demanding a response by Monday. “One of your top aides publicly stated that the INS’ No. 1 priority was the apprehension and deportation of criminal aliens. It is time to back up your rhetoric with deeds.”

INS spokesman Russ Bergeron said Thursday evening that his agency could not respond to the criticism because he does not know whether Meissner has received the letters yet.

“Certainly, whenever we receive a congressional inquiry and an expression of interest and concern by a local official such as the mayor of Simi Valley, we take those expressions of concern very seriously,” Bergeron said.

The INS will continue to examine its role in police gang sweeps before deciding whether it should join any more, he said.

Alan Dwelley, acting chief of the INS sector that oversees Ventura County’s Border Patrol office, said Thursday, “We obviously desire to do that type of activity with the police department--with the Simi Valley Police Department or any other police department--because from a ground-level perspective, it’s good law enforcement.”