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Jul 30, 2007 8:16 pm US/Central
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Waukegan Man Says He Was Arrested Based On Race
by Katie McCall
WAUKEGAN, Ill. (CBS) ―
Opponents of targeted immigration enforcement in Waukegan are now taking aim at a city police officer, accusing him of racial profiling.
As CBS 2 North Suburban Bureau Chief Katie McCall reports, activists are protesting increased police powers. The protesters say the Waukegan police are abusing the power they already have, but the department says there is no evidence of wrongdoing.
Waukegan resident Gustavo Flores says he was walking into a drug store when a Waukegan police officer stopped him and handcuffed him.
"He said 'OK then I'm going to put you under arrest because there's a warrant for your arrest' and I said 'can you tell me why?'" Flores said. "And he said 'you'll find out when you get there.'"
Flores was arrested after the officer ran his license plates and determined he had an outstanding warrant on a 2003 violation for failure to show proof of insurance. His car was towed and impounded because he did not have a valid Illinois driver's license.
Flores spent eight hours in jail and was fined $500. He believes he was targeted because he is Latino.
"I would say that if I'm not this color I'm not gonna get pulled over," he said.
Waukegan police say the stop was by the book.
"I don't believe there was any profiling at all involved in this particular case," said Waukegan Police Department Chief Bill Biang.
Waukegan has applied for a new federal program called 287 G, which would give Waukegan officers the authority to deport criminals they arrest.
Some activists worry that power will be abused.
"We have persons we have innocent people who are being arrested and deported," said Margaret Carrasco of Casa Mexiquense.
Mayor Richard Hyde says the group's allegations are unwarranted.
"Margaret Carrasco has got the entire undocumented Hispanic community all afraid of what the city is going to do," Hyde said.
He says the city's officers will use the new authority to deport violent criminals, not innocent people.
But Flores says because he is an undocumented immigrant he now fears the police.
To improve communication between the police and the Latino community the mayor is launching a newsletter which will be in English and Spanish and will go out to all Waukegan residents in their water bill.
(CBS 2 and the Lake County News-Sun are news partners covering stories in the north suburbs of Chicago. If you know of stories happening in this region,
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