Jamiel’s Law Falls Short of Signature Requirement
Los Angeles Times reporter Phil Willon reported on December 12, 2008 that the petition efforts to get what is being called “Jamiels Law” onto the ballot for this coming May’s election has come up drastically short of the required signatures. The measure would change the Los Angeles Police Department’s Special Order 40, that forbids officers from beginning any contact with people for the sole reason of finding out if that person is an illegal immigrant. Jamiels Law would allow police to arrest illegal immigrants exclusively because they are in the country illegally.
Jamiel Shaw II was a high school football player when he was shot and killed in March by an illegal immigrant. Althea Shaw, 47, aunt of Jamiel and lead proponent of the ballot measure claimed to have turned in more than 76,000 petition signatures to city election officials before the December 12th deadline. Election officials said they had only tallied 18,559 signatures, while 73,963 are required. “We’re not going to stop,” said Shaw, “We can’t bring my nephew back, so we’re going to keep fighting. We have to.” Next for Shaw will be an attempt to place the measure on the Los Angeles County’s November poll. If that is successful Shaw plans to organize a campaign to add it statewide with a voter proposal in California’s 2010 election. “There’s no one watching the city,” Shaw alleged. “We’re forced to take the word from a city that doesn’t even want to talk about illegal immigration.” Immigrant rights advocates say this law would open the door for police racial profiling and Chief Bratton says the police already report violent gang members to immigration authorities.
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