At a bilingual community forum Saturday afternoon, officials assured Hispanic people that Little Rock is a welcoming city for immigrants, although any comfort they could provide to anyone fearing federal authorities is limited.
Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr., Police Chief Keith Humphrey and City Attorney Tom Carpenter fielded audience members' questions about policing, deportation and state law at the event held in the Mosaic Church in west-central Little Rock.
The conversation came on the heels of recent news about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids taking place across the country. It also followed the Arkansas legislative session that produced Act 1076, formerly known as SB411.
That state law will go into effect Jan. 1 and prohibits the state's cities, towns and counties from adopting "sanctuary" policies that protect people who are in the country illegally.
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Audience members Saturday alluded to fear permeating their communities in light of activity at the national and state levels.
"The Latino population, they're scared, they're afraid," 24-year-old Javier Hernandez said.
Hernandez said people are often worried that police officers will ask about their citizenship status during traffic stops. Others at the forum asked if drivers who are pulled over could be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials and deported.
Humphrey said the Police Department has a policy that prohibits racial profiling and discrimination, and Little Rock officers enforce only state laws and city ordinances.
"The one thing I want to stress is that we are the Police Department for every person in the city of Little Rock," Humphrey said.
Little Rock police will ask for a person's identification if there's a reason to, but it doesn't matter if it's a driver's license, a passport from any country or a municipal ID card, Sgt. Jacob Tobler explained.
Little Rock cannot legally stop Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from entering the city, but local police officers will not be actively assisting with a raid, Humphrey said. The city doesn't always get a warning as to when Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will be in the city -- sometimes the agency alerts the Little Rock Police Department only minutes before, the chief said.
Scott said Little Rock is not a sanctuary city, but it is a welcoming city.
"During these times in this nation, it's imperative that we show how welcoming we are and inclusive to our Latinx brothers and sisters," the mayor said.
Hernandez asked what a person can do if he feels he's been racially profiled by a Little Rock police officer. Humphrey said people should file a complaint or ask someone they trust to complain on their behalf if they aren't comfortable doing it themselves.
Then, the department will investigate, he said.
Mireya Reith, founding executive director of the immigrant advocacy organization Arkansas United, said events like Saturday's are good first steps, although she hopes the city will implement a more formal complaint process.
Since the passage of Act 1076, Reith said, the coalition has been asking mayors across the state to host conversations with their Hispanic communities. Pine Bluff hosted such an event two weeks ago, she said.
Metro on 07/21/2019