The DDN shows its support for Dayton Police Chief Biehl who instructed officers not to ask residents for their immigration status.

Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl is right that his officers shouldn’t be questioning victims or witnesses about their citizenship or immigration status — notwithstanding objections about the policy from the police union.

Let’s be honest. Most times, if that question comes up, it’s with Hispanics, not whites and blacks.

The practice itself can be a form of profiling, which invites lawsuits. But, arguably more important, the approach discourages Hispanics from reporting crimes and cooperating with police.

Dayton police (and community officials) have long been frustrated that they don’t always get the help they hope for from some people in the black community. They say they need victims and witnesses to come forward if they’re going to be successful at locking up the bad guys. They say it’s a shame because so often the victims who would benefit are themselves black.

Local activists are rallying around Dayton Police Chief Biehl after he rightfully instructed officers not to ask for a person’s immigration status when investigating a scene.

Police Chief Richard Biehl got a show of support from Dayton’s Hispanic community for prohibiting officers from asking the immigration status of a witness or victim of a crime.

Sister Maria Stacy, director of the local Hispanic Catholic Ministry, Lucia Prier, a social worker at the East End Community Services Center and David E. Larson, an immigration lawyer, commended Biehl’s action during the City Commission meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 13.

“I think the police chief was courageous to issue the policy directive. It was the right thing to do from a human rights and a safety standpoint,” said Larson, recently appointed to Dayton’s Human Relations Council. “It is impossible for any of us to know the extent that crime goes unreported.”

Dayton resident Juan Arias said he believes the executive order lays the groundwork for a better society, a better future.

“I stand before you a human being and ask my rights to be respected,” he said.

Kudos to Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl who has taken a step in improving relations between immigrant communities and local police.

City police officers are now prohibited from asking the immigration status of a witness or victim of a crime in hopes it eases fears some ethnic groups have of law enforcement.

Police Chief Richard Biehl issued the executive order to his nearly 390 officers on Dec. 30 telling them, “Citizens must feel free to call for police services without fear of undue repercussions.”

Biehl’s order, aimed mostly at the Latino community, goes on to say a “Police presence within the entire community is extremely important to engender a feeling of safety and trust…”

The order is being cheered by the city’s Hispanic community, whose leaders have said many victims of crimes who can’t provide documented citizenship don’t report incidents to police because they fear being arrested or even deported.

More stories of U.S. anti-terror laws unfairly affecting those who have no connection to terrorists.

For months, Somalis living in Columbus have complained that it has become increasingly difficult to send money home to family members because of banking-industry fears that the funds could end up with terrorists.

Huntington, JPMorgan Chase and Charter One are among the banks that have closed accounts set up by remittance companies, said Omar Tarazi, a local lawyer who has worked with the Somali American Chamber of Commerce and several remittance companies.

Somali leaders said remittances that refugees send home are a lifeline to families and friends struggling in the war-torn African nation. It has few banks, so remittance companies are crucial to sending money home.

The leaders say banks fear being held liable if authorities discover that the money is funding extremists. The Patriot Act requires due diligence of banks in making sure that funds are tracked.

The Ohio BMV sent letters out to tens of thousands of Ohioans asking for proof that they can legally own a car. Several immigrant rights advocates contend that this may be a case of racial profiling.

Members of Central Ohio’s Hispanic community say they are the victim of racial profiling by the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. The BMV sent out 47,457 letters last week to vehicle owners that do no have Social Security numbers, drivers license numbers or state identification numbers attached to their vehicle registrations.

Owners receiving the letter were told they have 60 days to produce identification or their registration will be canceled. The letter follows a change in policy that closed a legal loophole allowing undocumented immigrants without insurance or a drivers license to register a vehicle using the power of attorney process.

Stripped of their valid vehicle registration, undocumented workers could be pulled over, arrested and deported back to their home country if caught driving unregistered vehicles.

“This is nothing else but racial profiling,“ said a Columbus resident who received one of the letters this week and wished to remain anonymous. The man stated he is an American citizen and an Ohio resident for 26 years. “Nobody else got a letter, only the Spanish people.“

President Obama discusses when he envisions the government seriously addressing long-overdue immigration reform.

President Obama said Monday that efforts to change the immigration system would be a major focus for his administration only next year, after other major priorities were accomplished, including passage of a new health care system.

“It’s very important for us to sequence these big initiatives in a way where they don’t all just crash at the same time,” he said, according to The Associated Press.

Mr. Obama, flanked by the leaders of Mexico and Canada, spoke here at a news conference after an annual trilateral summit meeting. Responding to a range of questions on domestic and international issues, he also said the United States was committed to the return of the ousted president of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya.

ACLU of Ohio Associate Director Gary Daniels discusses the problems that arise when a court interpreter is not competant.

A Spanish-language interpreter for Franklin County Municipal Court was fired last month because he couldn’t interpret legal terms, possibly jeopardizing the constitutional rights of thousands.

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“The fact that it doesn’t happen all the time is of no comfort to the person it did happen to and who is now in jail,” said Daniels. Defendants should understand exactly what is said in court, he added.

They could appeal their cases based on Bustos’ involvement, but they would need proof that the interpreting was inaccurate, said Jack R. Kullman Jr., Franklin County Court of Appeals administrator.

That might not be easy, he said. Court reporters record only what is said in English, and interpreters speak quietly to participants to avoid disturbing the proceedings.