Panel not ready with advice on migrants

Casey Newton

The Arizona Republic
Jan. 30, 2008 12:00 AM

PHOENIX - An advisory panel's recommendations for when Phoenix police should inquire about a person's immigration status won't be known until mid-February, officials said.

Mayor Phil Gordon said Tuesday that the panel needs more time to craft an alternative to police Operations Order 1.4.

"It'll probably be a couple more weeks before that comes out," Gordon told reporters.

The order, which prevents police from asking about a person's immigration status in most cases, has become a magnet for criticism from residents who want the city to take a stronger stance against illegal immigrants.

Supporters of the order say it ensures a good relationship between police and the immigrant community and frees up police resources to focus on fighting crime.

Last month, Gordon appointed a four-man panel to recommend changes to the order, which would allow officers to notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement when any law has been violated by any person police suspect of being an illegal immigrant.