Berry’s Hypocrisy On Full Display

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Mayor Berry’s hypocrisy from 2010 declaring Albuquerque is no longer a sanctuary city was on full display when he met with members of the Albuquerque’s Islamic community after President Trump’s ban on Muslim countries. (See January 31, 2017 Albuquerque Journal, “Mayor, Islamic leaders meet; New round of concerns for safety of Muslims”.)

According to Berry, representatives of APD were present and the primary topic of conversation was safety.

Berry was quoted as saying “We need a city where all of our families and communities feel safe.

It’s time like this where we have to stand shoulder to shoulder regardless of background.”

I wonder if Berry ordered APD representatives to take names of those who attended the meeting to determine if they are in the United States legally.

The hypocrisy is that On May 14, 2010 Mayor Richard Berry declared that Albuquerque was no longer a sanctuary city. (See http://www.koat.com/article/albuquerque-no-longer-a-sanctuary-city/5033128)

Berry ordered the implementation of a policy that screened every person who is arrested to see if the person is in the country legally.

At the prisoner transport center in downtown Albuquerque, Immigration and Customs Enforcement fingerprinted and scanned suspects. “If you’re arrested in Albuquerque — regardless of who you are and where you’re born — if you’re a citizen or not, you will be face to face with ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] at this facility,” said Berry. If convicted, they will serve their sentence and could be deported.

So no matter the charge, like DWI, you face US Customs if you’re arrested, regardless of guilt or innocence.

“I’m not looking at this as an immigration issue, but more as a public safety issue,” said Berry.

Berry’s declaration that Albuquerque is no longer a sanctuary city meant he did not want to stand shoulder to shoulder with Albuquerque’s immigrant community who no longer felt safe because of his declaration and their fear of being reported to immigration authorities by APD.

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About

Pete Dinelli was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is of Italian and Hispanic descent. He is a 1970 graduate of Del Norte High School, a 1974 graduate of Eastern New Mexico University with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and a 1977 graduate of St. Mary's School of Law, San Antonio, Texas. Pete has a 40 year history of community involvement and service as an elected and appointed official and as a practicing attorney in Albuquerque. Pete and his wife Betty Case Dinelli have been married since 1984 and they have two adult sons, Mark, who is an attorney and George, who is an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Pete has been a licensed New Mexico attorney since 1978. Pete has over 27 years of municipal and state government service. Pete’s service to Albuquerque has been extensive. He has been an elected Albuquerque City Councilor, serving as Vice President. He has served as a Worker’s Compensation Judge with Statewide jurisdiction. Pete has been a prosecutor for 15 years and has served as a Bernalillo County Chief Deputy District Attorney, as an Assistant Attorney General and Assistant District Attorney and as a Deputy City Attorney. For eight years, Pete was employed with the City of Albuquerque both as a Deputy City Attorney and Chief Public Safety Officer overseeing the city departments of police, fire, 911 emergency call center and the emergency operations center. While with the City of Albuquerque Legal Department, Pete served as Director of the Safe City Strike Force and Interim Director of the 911 Emergency Operations Center. Pete’s community involvement includes being a past President of the Albuquerque Kiwanis Club, past President of the Our Lady of Fatima School Board, and Board of Directors of the Albuquerque Museum Foundation.