Darryl Morin is the past national VP for the Midwest region for the League of Latin American United citizens, the oldest and largest Hispanic membership organization. They give out scholarships, distribute meat to families struggling with food insecurity, and raise money for Mexican Fiesta.
He’s worked with national politicians on both side of the aisle, from Barack Obama to George W. Bush.
Media Milwaukee asked Morin about immigration and ICE.
How does ICE operate?
There was a time and there still are some very good people upholding their sworn duty. We know there are good people, but we have seen a turn. We have seen a pivot in the manner in which ICE operates and how far they will go, which has turned into an attack on human dignity. We received numerous reports during some raids in Madison that they were telling people, they were the police. One of the messages, we are trying to else is the police are here to defend and protect. So when you have ICE going around saying, we’re the police – which they are not – it fractures the trust. Whether intentionally and unintentionally. We’ve seen individuals picked up in front of their children. And the majority of times we see these aids, there are no support systems put in place for the children who will be left behind. Imagine a child getting off a bus, expecting to be greeted by a parent and there is no parent?
Should asylum be eliminated?
It will be found unconstitutional because it does not say port-of-entry, it says anywhere along the U.S. border. And it is my personal belief, that the Trump administration is doing this because they wanted to see some kind of action that would appear to support the false information they have been propagating about the “caravan.”
How can people locate their loved ones who have been detained?
There is an 800 number you can call but it’s very difficult to get answers. We’ve had people go weeks without knowing where they’re parents out.
Allegations where detainments are happening on the border; people are enticed to waive their rights and agree to deportation and leave their child behind. Children 2-3 are sitting before a judge in a courtroom and a judge has to ask them why they are eligible for asylum.
What do unauthorized immigrants prefer to be called?
“Undocumented immigrant” is the one that is most used.
Call the IRS and ask how an undocumented immigrant is supposed to pay their taxes. Because Congress insisted and set up a system to where the undocumented pay their taxes. (He estimates 75% pay taxes even though they’re not eligible for anything except emergency room health care and a public education.)
What do dairy farmers think?
Some of the best advocates for fixing our broken immigration system are dairy farmers. Cows don’t just give milk in the summer in the fall; they need to be milked daily or they will die. They have been huge advocates of immigration reform.
Wall vs 2013 Bill
Immigration Bill 744. If anybody was serious about securing our borders, if anybody was serious about growing our economy, if anybody was serious about wanting to uphold being the champion of human rights, etc., people would say we need to pass that 2013 bill. Nobody loved it because everyone wanted to compromise on it, but it would be effective. Paul Ryan, he initially supported this as well. It would allow people with no criminal records, ability to work and speak English and pay taxes a way to earn their citizenship. We’re also not tearing families apart by taking them out the country when they’ve already become embedded in our community.
Jails & Bonds
There are a number of attorneys out there, sadly, that will give the impression that the individual does have a case, but [they] insist on receiving a lot of money up front for their services, only to find out later on that they didn’t have a case. So they wind up giving all their money over and they had no case.
Unconstitutional holds?
There is no legal requirement. If ICE sends a detainer request to a police department, there is no requirement that that department has to detain those people. There is a constitutional question there. If you even go to the ICE website, they say that it’s a request. It is not a court order. ICEe does have the ability to go and get court orders, but in many instances, in nearly all, they just prefer to make the request. And that’s why so many law enforcement officials don’t adhere to the detainer request.
What makes Milwaukee’s community unique?
A study was done by Milwaukee’s population by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, and one of the findings of that report was there was a huge workforce in the Latino population in general. While they had a high work force participation ate, they still suffered from poverty and extreme poverty. Even though they’re working or working hard and in many cases, multiple jobs, they are still in poverty and extreme poverty. They are learning English at a faster rate than other communities in the past. The second generation is losing their bilingual skills as they transition to only English.
What is reporting immigration status like?
We know that there are a number of people who fall victim to all sorts of crimes but do not report because of immigration status. We know there are women and children and in some instances, men as well, that suffer from DV and it goes unreported. We also know there are landlords who charge outrageous hikes in rent and tell them they will report them if they do not pay. *Happens in workforce also.* There are all forms of exploitation.
Why are driver’s licenses important for unauthorized immigrants?
There is more support than people would initially think to give some form of driver permit to the undocumented here.
They are eligible then to get the training they need so they can drive safely and it also makes them eligible to purchase insurance. It would also make it easier for them to get a loan out on a car instead of paying cash. And it also lets them know who they are pulling over. And if there is someone who is a bad actor, it will help to identify and locate them.
We do have an issue – and it’s more prevalent in some parts of the state than others – with profiling.
Under the auspices of a broken taillight, they just wanted an excuse to pull over the car and see if the person has a driver’s license.
In some jurisdictions, they ask for a ssn. This is supposed to be used to track people down and take ticket money out of their taxes. But it can also be used identify undocumented people.
How did voter ID affect the Hispanic population?
One of the reasons that we sued is because, in its initial format, we had the most stringent voter ID standards in the country. We heard that it’s easy enough to go to the DMV, there are many places in Wisconsin where the DMVs are only open one or two days a month and they are not necessarily nearby. Milwaukee does have a fair amount of Puerto Rican residents here and you weren’t allowed to get them in the states; you had to go to Puerto Rico to get those.
Is there profiling?
We welcome the changes Chief Morales made when he assumed responsibility as chief of the MPD. We are looking forward to continuing to working with the department and partners all throughout Milwaukee to rebuild the trust that has been lost. Public safety is the number one issue in Milwaukee, and we need everyone to work hand-in-hand.