Salt Lake Police Chief testifies before Congress against illegal immigration bill
Salt Lake Police Chief testifies before Congress against illegal immigration bill
Quote:
"Local law enforcement should not be involved as immigration agents."
abc4.com
Reported by: Brian Carlson
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SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - Federal lawmakers are looking at a new way to fight illegal immigration here in Utah as well as across the country, but Salt Lake's police chief believes it's a bad idea.
Last week Salt Lake Police Chief Chris Burbank testified before members of Congress.
"This is absolutely wrong," said Burbank.
Burbank tells ABC 4 he is not in favor of federal lawmakers’ new bill to deal with illegal immigration.
"Local law enforcement should not be involved as immigration agents," he said.
Members of congress are debating what's called the Scott Gardner Act, which would require police officers to arrest people suspected of being illegal immigrants who also get caught driving drunk. Burbank testified before Congress that officers who would enforce this law would always be guilty of racial profiling.
"It's puts officers in horrible position to act as immigration agents as opposed to addressing the real problem," Burbank told ABC 4.
ABC 4 asked Chief Burbank to explain. He said his officers should focus on looking out for people prone to commit crimes. Right now the Salt Lake area jail is overcrowded with criminals, and this law only puts more bad guys on the street.
"It's civil offense we're now booking civil law offenders and taking precedence over criminal law offenders who released back into the community to perpetuate more crimes,” Burbank said.
“And that's what this would have you do?” Reporter Brian Carlson asked.
“Absolutely," said Burbank.
He believes illegal immigration needs to be addressed, but not by his officers.
Just to give you a sense of how crowded the Salt Lake Jail is right now, Chief Burbank said the jail releases between 700 to 900 inmates every month.
source: Salt Lake Police Chief testifies before Congress against illegal immigration bill - ABC4.com - Salt Lake City, Utah News
