Hispanics rally against racial profiling by local police

They're illegal and have no rights.

Arrest them all as the attend rallies. You can fin them on every soccer field, at every public school, on every weekend in America.

Put a bounty on their heads and the US. citizens will get them out in less than 2 months.

Why hasn't our lame Congress acted. Deport our Congress members too.

No amnesty, only 100% deprotation.

If the person in question had a Puerto Rican flag hanging from the rear view mirror, then we can, for the sake of argument, assume that she's Puerto Rican. That assumption having been made, be aware that ALL Puerto Ricans are natural American citizens; no need for visas, green cards,etc,etc,etc. That's why all U.S. citizens can travel in and out of P.R. without being burdened with visas or any other document. Also, understand that illegal inmigration is foreign to Americans of Puerto Rican descent, wether they were born in the U.S. or P.R. This is why it's amussing to me that a news item about a Puerto Rican person would elicit so many comments about illegal inmigration. Please, get your facts in order before you post a comment.

yes my grandparents were immigrants however they did sneak out of poland but they took their turn trying to get into this country they went through the backround checks and health checks to get into this country they learned the language went to work heard all of the dumb pollack jokes even though they spoke 6 and 7 languages and had several degrees

When did Mexico adapt the Puerto Rican flag?

Caused me to get pulled over. Now, I'm a chubby bald, white guy who has a bum knee. So mabye I was profiled because I have a bum knee. Maybe I should protest in front of the jail on behalf of all other handicapped people that are being jailed because of physical imparment profiling. Please give me a break. What kills me is that this lady assumes she was profiled because she was pulled over and she's hispanic. Maybe we need to reverse the course of this discussion and note that maybe it is the police officers that are being profiled because they're cops. And while we're at it, if you have a problem with someone not posting their entire name then you should lead by example

Sad to say, but Roy H is correct. I don't like to post comments here because I offer an opinion that is not in common with the majority of Pilot readers; but I am growing tired of these know-it-alls who complain about Hispanics, taxes, and the growth of the city. Like it or not, immigration is inevitable. The illegals will soon be legals - there are strength in numbers within a democracy, be it economic or political. Take this opportunity to learn a foreign language and a new culture. Get to know an immigrant, you may be surprised how rich their values are and how much you can learn from them. The only way to deal with these issues is to be educated on the topic, not spout off more racist crap.

I'm puzzled at the protest. You protest in front of a jail that is housing illegal immigrants, why? They broke the law and should not be honored. I know that the US represents a chance that is not possible in Mexico, but no cares is you come here, just do it the right way. Being black I can understand profiling, but this is simply a case of being wrong and not being able to accept it. The law is stupid, but it is still the law. Spend this time readdressing the law itself and not claming racial profiling. If you spend more time trying to assimilate into America vice attempting to create a separate one, you may get more supporters. You see most that come here attempt to fit in, vice try to change the country. Accepting English as a start.

I am a white male senior citizen and was pulled over while driving through Portsmouth on two different occasions, i.e.,
The Police Officer (White) thought my inspection sticker had expired,
no ticket! The next time, (Same Police Officer) I was driving behind a black female and had entered a one way street (4-6 P.M.) at approximately 4 P.M., turned around after driving about 300 feet into the street, then was stopped a couple of blocks out of the street and issued a ticket, i.e., $60.00. The black female was not stopped. This is called "DWW", or Driving While White in Portsmouth Virginia.

Racist? Inbred cowards? German and Italian illegals? That's rich. You have no idea how bad illegal immigration is until you have lived in a border city where you have to pay taxes for a county hospital that is used by illegals since they don't have health insurance and can't pay for a doctors visit, can't get a job since you don't speak Spanish, go to school and see how many foreign license plates are parked in the lot (again, tax dollars hard at work). I could go on and on. For those that feel that others are being racist for telling it like it is, you take them in and and pay for their food and clothing. I'm sick of it.

This article is about increased Hispanic profiling due to an illegal immigrant who was charged in the deaths of 2 VA Beach teenagers, not illegal immigration. As shown in some of the comments here about this article, people are associating being Hispanic with being an illegal immigrant. Hispanics are not the only immigrants, but the only ones we are concerned about. Do we complain about the Italians or Germans? No because they assimilate with the rest of white America and are able to reap the benefits of being white. It seems that being an immigrant is only a problem when you're brown. Honestly, we are all immigrants because as I recall there were a few people here before we "discovered" this country.

Mexican invaders? Go back where you came from? Does the Pilot publish this illiterate, racist crap because it agrees with such sick sentiments? Is this area so hopelessly racist that these thoughts, written in complete anonymity by inbred cowards, don't cause a ripple? Or is it that intelligent people wouldn't be caught dead on these boards because only the area's lowlife congregate here? Hampton Roads can't be as sick as these boards suggest. Every American, regardless of color, has the right to protest government actions. Racial profiling by police has been well documented. Get your heads out of your butt! Good help us if this racist drivel represents the majority of citizens anywhere.

really have the nerve! The Mexican invaders that willfully ignore our law but yet protesters choose the side of the law breakers. The're attempting to mask the facts its really not about profiling but illegal Latinos you want the Law to ignore. They want to shut down law enforcement by claiming racism. I don't believe that number 15 - 20 either!

I am a white female and I was pulled over in Va. Beach by a white male cop for having a small air freshener hanging from my mirror. Should I blow that out of proportion and call that gender profiling? There are white women in jail ya know. If you are illegal, then go back where you came from. I am tired of people coming to our country having more rights and chances to a free education/business funds than myself.

wait, let me get this straight....breaking the law, a minor one I will agree, and only receiving a warning is considered racial profiling? I have a problem with that!
Ma'am, look around you as you sit at the traffic light and take notice of how few people hang things from their mirror. Perhaps a little more time learning the laws and less looking for an excuse might be advised.

Ms. Melendez was committing a traffic infraction - something she could've gotten a ticket for - not just a warning. State Code 46.2-1054 states you cannot have any object(s), other than a rear view mirror, suspended from any part of the car that may obstruct the clear view of the highway. it's illegal no matter what nationality or ethnicity you are!!! Yep, she was profiled all right - for committing the traffic infraction!!!! So instead of acknowledging that she was in violation of the law, she jumps to the conclusion that she was 'profiled for being Hispanic'...give me a break - the officer gave her one!!!

You can't be "profiled" if you are pulled for an actual violation of law. Yes folks, hanging items from your rearview mirror is illegal in the Commonwealth. So Ms. Melendez is suspicious because she doesn't know the law and this group is angry because our federal immigration laws are being enforced? You only get deported if you entered the country illegally or commit a felony. What is this country coming to?

A flag hanging from the rear view mirror is a clear violation of the state code. I'm glad the police told you to remove it, lest you not see a toddler in the road and run them over. Why does she THINK she was profiled? I dont think that warning somebody about an equipment violation insead of writing a ticket counts as racial profiling. I think that counts as traffic enforcement. Suck it up, correct the violation, and you will not be "harassed" anymore. Simple. Stop whining.

First, illegals could attend schools and we couldn't identify the parents, who were law-breakers, then our emergency rooms are flooded with illegals and the taxpayers flip the bill, and again we can't ask any questions. The only answer is to stop them from coming in the first place-enforcement and deport as they are caught. The fact is we're tired of the flooding of our borders and its high time we stopped it. Let the racial profiling begin!

Objects hanging from rearview mirrors have been illegal for years and many a stop has originated from this particular violation. Race has nothing to do with obeying the law. People using the "Race Card" as a permit to engage in illegal activities are, in my opinion, bottom feeders.

this is a perfect example of a liberal biased article... show the sad face of a kid at a protest (where is her puppy dog?) and give a human interest example of how the illegal immigrants are being screwed by the police. question: how many other illegals are being held in this jail, awaiting deportation, and what crimes (other than the obvious one, coming here illegally) did they commit to get themselves put in that jail? where are the stories about that? this country is on a slippery slope in terms of governing to the exception, and the liberal media embraces it. based on all of the phone calls and emails that have been placed to Congress regarding illegal immigration, it's good to see that the majority of citizens aren't buying it.

Here we go again with the profiling poppycock. Ms. Melendez is stopped by the police for an obvious violation of 46.2-1054 Code of Virginia and is given a warning. How can one deduce that racial profiling occurred in any way shape or form in this incident? It sounds to me that she was simply treated like most other drivers for a minor violation.

I hope increased scrutiny is occurring regarding illegal immigrants. The vast majority happen to be Hispanic, therefore, they will logically draw more attention. They are criminals by nature of being here illegally and should be jailed and deported. Enter the country legally and you're good to go.

Why should hispancs get special treatment? This country has many immigrants that pay taxes, speak english, and become legal citizens. I talked to two mexicans at a construction site,(yes I talked to them although I have never been to Mexico ) one mexican said he has been in the US fo eight years, the other said six years. They could not speak a single word of english. Why am I learning spanish instead of these immigrants learning english? This country is The Great melting Pot and I welcome any immigrant the joins the US kegally. Those here illeaglly dont pay taxes or follow laws like the rest of us. Ship them home the first time caught and lock them up, then ship them home the second time. Maybe they will do it the right way next time.

I guess I was profiled by the officer that pulled me over also. In fact, I'm positive that I was profiled. The officer was clearly looking for people breaking the law. I found out that it's against the law for my kids to hang things from the mirror of my car. Oh, and I'm a white female. It's time for the Hispanic community to realize that if they are breaking the law and get stopped, it's not because they're hispanic, it's because they are breaking the law. The immigrants that came here in the past wanted to fit in to the American way of living free. Now it seems immigrants want us to change to fit them and hide behind things like profiling. If you are breaking the law, you are a criminal, not a victim.

No sympathy here for illegal immigrants or for acts of law-breaking from anyone. If you're caught breaking the law, own up -- deal with it -- regardless of your race. Don't cry discrimation -- we don't need any more victim mentality people in this country. It seems Americans have done quite a bit bending over backwards for Hispanics as it is. Have you been through Lowes yet? And everytime I receive an automated response when making a phone call, I have to choose which language I speak. Perhaps the other ethnic groups are going to cry discrimination soon for not having their language included. Or, maybe they figure if they're going to live in an English-speaking country, they'd better learn the language. What a concept!

If the borders are secured (not holding my breath), then the mass numbers of law breaking illegals entering this country (99% Spanish speaking hispanics) will drastically go down. Then, and only then, will the hispanic community have this illegal law breaking stigma removed. Same holds true for muslims. Once the Islamic community rises up within and changes the growing radical muslim ideology (accountable for 99% of world terrorist acts against humanity), then, and only then, will the Islamic religion have this terrorist stigma removed.

I guess the illegal act of having a flag or any other object hanging from the rear view mirror should have been overlooked just because she was Hispanic? Get real! I'm tired of all these ethnic groups thinking they can come here and break any law they want and when held accountable throw out the race card. If these people don't want to observe our laws and culture then they should go back where they can immerse themselves in the laws and culture of their home. To stay here throw off the mindset that they are going to transform the United States into the culture they came from. Most of these people have no concept of our culture nor do they seem to care.

racial profiling. It is profiling. Many good officers and detectives use this technique on a regular basis. They make a lot of good arrests using this and it should not be stopped. In addition, it is illegal to have anything hanging from your rear view mirror. You cannot even pass a State Inspection with something hanging from your mirror.

If legal American citizens are concerned about police inforcing our laws (odd, isn't it?) and they fell that because they are hispanic in appearance they might be "profiled" - why not join with the majority of their fellow Americans and demand an end to illegal aliens breaking the law to sneak into our country? Let's drop the shamnisty bill and get that fence on our southern border built! If we didn't have so many hispanic illegal aliens we wouldn't have any problem that requires law enforcement to ask hispanic looking people for their documents required to live in our nation. When was the last time you heard a protest about Eskimos being "profiled" by law enforcement - because too many Eskimos sneak into the United States illegally?

We have enough whiners in America already. If these people do not like the way things are being done here noone is stopping them from going back to their own countries. Maybe that would be best for them. This is America and if you live here don't complain and if you complain please go back home. We have alot more to worry about than some woman getting her flag taken off of her rear view mirror which is illegal by the way. We already have the race card. Is this a new excuse, the profiling card?

You should be shouting at the illegals to get legal. People end up in jail for crimes. It's not the fault of the police or the jail that lawbreakers end up in jail. "A unified community cannot be overcome" is a true statement, that's why the Amnesty bill was defeated again in the Senate this week, they got the message from a unified community.