TPD policy on immigrants will make us safer
Our view: Police will not call federal authorities on crime victims or witnesses
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.20.2008

advertisementThe Tucson Police Department should be commended for a proposed policy change regarding when it will report illegal immigrants to federal authorities. The new rules should enhance public safety while maintaining trust between the department and the community.

The Star's Eric Swedlund reported Saturday that crime victims and witnesses who are suspected of being illegal immigrants won't be reported to federal officials and neither will those stopped for civil traffic violations.
We believe this is a step in the right direction.

All people in a community β€” illegal immigrants included β€” must be able to trust and be willing to cooperate with police. When one segment of the community doesn't trust the police, the entire city is less safe.

"We want people to be able to work with the Police Department. We want them to help us solve crimes. And if they're a victim, we want them to feel free to report a crime without fear of deportation," Sgt. Fabian Pacheco, a police spokesman, told us Tuesday.

As the illegal-immigration debate became superheated in the last few years, more and more law-enforcement agencies across the country took it upon themselves to uphold federal immigration laws. Some, like Joe Arpaio's Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, have gone overboard. But others have sensibly targeted only the criminal elements in illegal-immigrant communities.

We have editorialized that police should stay out of immigration enforcement because it is, ultimately, a federal responsibility. Also, police are less effective and crime might increase if people are unwilling to report crimes.

However, if police use common sense and selectively target only criminal illegal immigrants, that can enhance public safety for everyone.
Of course some conservatives and seal-the-border activists argue that all illegal immigrants are "criminals."

Yes, illegal immigrants did cross the border illegally or overstay their visas, but the majority are otherwise law-abiding members of American communities. They work. They pay taxes. They participate in churches and community organizations. They contribute to the fabric of American society.

Most came to the United States to improve their lives or those of their families.

Another aspect of the department's policy we like is that it takes away individual officer's discretion on when to call immigration authorities. If all officers play by the same rules, there's less of a chance that one will misinterpret the order or abuse his or her authority.

The Star reported that under the new policy officers would be required to report all undocumented immigrants, including juveniles, arrested on suspicion of criminal activity, even for misdemeanor cite-and-release violations, such as shoplifting or being in possession of a small amount of marijuana.

In misdemeanor cases, Pacheco said that if immigration authorities can respond within 20 minutes, they can take the offender into custody. If not, the person will be cited and released after signing a promise to appear in court.

One illegal-immigrant advocate expressed concern about federal authorities being called in over misdemeanors.

Jennifer Allen, executive director of the Border Action Network, told Swedlund that her group would like to see that part of the policy changed.
Allen did, however, applaud the department for deciding not to report illegal immigrants cited for minor traffic offenses.

The policy might not be perfect, but it should make our community safer by targeting criminals and leaving alone otherwise law-abiding illegal immigrants.

Police should concentrate on making communities safe.
Immigration enforcement should be left where it belongs β€” with federal agencies.
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