Costa Mesa Mayor Defends the Minutemen

COSTA MESA, Calif. -- Mayor Allan Mansoor was criticized recently when the city council approved his measure allowing local police to enforce immigration law. In an interview with Los Angeles' Spanish-language La Opinion, Mansoor defended himself, saying that only those arrested for major crimes merit review for immigration charges. He added that the law makes up for the failure of prisons to deport those convicted of grave crimes. He says the police do not plan to turn people over for minor infractions and will not discriminate based on race. But the law comes as one in a series of actions angering Latinos, who comprise 30 percent of Costa Mesa's 110,000 residents. The city closed a 17-year-old day labor center last year. Undocumented immigrants lower salaries, according to Mansoor. He recognizes the need for immigrant laborers, but demands they migrate legally, or face deportation.