Council debates immigration pitch

Costa Mesa leaders, weighing pros and cons of mayor’s proposal, heard heated public comment; no vote by press time.COSTA MESA -- Mayor Allan Mansoor’s proposal to train city police to enforce immigration laws could carry costs far beyond the price of the training.

The City Council debated the plan Tuesday night but had not voted at press time. A noisy audience offered lengthy comments as the council discussed what has become one of the most controversial issues in recent memory.

The mayor, who works as an Orange County Sheriff’s deputy, has stressed that city police would not do immigration sweeps but would only pursue people who already are in custody or who are being investigated for some other crime.

Under the plan, the city would form an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which would give city police employees about 3 1/2 weeks of training. Once trained, police could check the immigration status of people being investigated for crimes. If suspects were determined to be in the country illegally, they could be detained and turned over to immigration officials.

Councilman Gary Monahan seemed undecided Monday, but at Tuesday’s meeting proposed linking the city’s efforts with a similar plan being developed by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

“It takes the onus off the Costa Mesa Police Department to create a program and blaze a trail,” he said.

It’s not clear how big the city’s program would be. A report from the Police Department suggests the seven custody officials who work at the city jail would be trained, and Mansoor is interested in training field officers as well.

Adding two custody officers to meet minimum staffing requirements and training seven custody officers is estimated to cost $190,528, but Councilwoman Katrina Foley has said she thinks costs could be much higher if the program is adopted.

She asked city officials how much it would cost to train all the Police Department’s sworn field employees, and the answer was $1.4 million. Foley also suggested that if the mayor’s plan is approved, the American-born children of illegal immigrants who get deported would become wards of the state, and someone has to pay for their care. The most recent information available shows the cost of housing a child at Orangewood Children’s Home is $580.98 per day, a report from the city said.

“There’s lots of additional costs that are going to be incurred that have not even been addressed,” Foley said before Tuesday’s meeting. “I don’t think we have really even tipped the iceberg on the costs.”

Residents who spoke at Tuesday’s meeting seemed more concerned about the policy implications of the proposal.

“This is a step-by-step process of trying to alienate our citizens,” Costa Mesa resident Richard Gillock said. “We want you to treat everyone in the city with respect and with dignity -- and to provide for their safety.”

Those who oppose the plan argue immigration laws are the federal government’s responsibility and would invite racial profiling. Supporters say the plan will make city safer by removing lawbreakers.

State police in Florida and Alabama and Arizona Department of Corrections personnel already are working on immigration enforcement, and the Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties sheriff’s departments have officers in training.

20051207ir40hmknDOUGLAS ZIMMERMAN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Steve Nelson, left, a Minuteman supporter, argues with Tim Lewis, right, a Costa Mesa business owner, outside City Council chambers.