Jamiel's Law on Los Angeles Ballot

Jamiel Shaw was a promising high school football star in Los Angeles till shoot down by an undocumented Central American gang member. The killing stirred a controversy about LA's practice of not inquiring into immigration status -- known as Special Order 40. (See posting for April 4, 2008.) Jamiel's father has led a campaign to overturn the policy and allow the police to arrest gang-bangers here illegally. The LAPD and immigrant advocates have opposed the law, since they fear it could to extend so far as to amount to racial profiling. The LA order already allows the police to work with ICE in criminal cases involving the undocumented. Rebuffed by the City Council, proponents of Jamiel's law have gather enough signatures to place it as a referendum measure on the May municipal election ballot. (See LA Times article.)