Federal problem demands federal fix
Illegal immigrationYakima Herald-Republic editorial board
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This editorial appears in the March 3, 2010, Yakima Herald-Republic.
If Congress needs encouragement for tackling comprehensive immigration reform, look no further than Washington state's law enforcement agencies.
While it's rare these days to see unanimity in anything that's politically contentious, our state sheriffs and police chiefs are unified in opposing any effort by the federal government to dump the problem of illegal immigration in their laps. That's why not a single agency in the state has signed up for a federal program giving local law enforcement officials the authority to enforce immigration laws.
Yakima Police Chief Sam Granato and Yakima County Sheriff Ken Irwin have both sounded off against having local agencies arrest undocumented immigrants, whom experts estimate total more than 11 million nationwide.
"We would very quickly fill up our jails, and where would the real criminals be?" asked Granato, who spoke recently during a nationwide telephone news conference sponsored by the Law Enforcement Engagement Initiative, which promotes comprehensive immigration reform for police chiefs and sheriffs.
On behalf of the Washington State Sheriff's Association, Irwin wrote a letter last summer seeking a systematic change to immigration laws.
"We urge Congress and the President to enact a comprehensive immigration law that secures the borders and addresses the reality of illegal workers in a comprehensive manner so that this nation can now move forward."
Less than 100 out of 18,000 local, county and state agencies in the nation enforce immigration laws. In Maricopa County, Ariz., the sheriff there has attracted national news by rounding up suspected illegal immigrants. Not only does the sheriff detain them in canvas tents, he also forces them to wear pink jumpsuits.
That's no way to deal with the explosive issue of illegal immigrants.
Having local law enforcement jail suspected illegal immigrants who haven't committed other crimes only worsens the situation, Granato argues. It causes a breakdown in trust for police within the community as fear replaces cooperation among illegal immigrants who end up refusing to contact police and report crimes.
We fully support Granato and Irwin. Illegal immigration is a federal problem that needs a federal fix. Having police officers and sheriffs deputies take on the task of enforcing outdated immigration laws is not the answer, and never will be.
Comprehensive immigration reform must embrace not only surveillance and enforcement along our borders, but also a robust supply of guest workers for agriculture.
U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Pasco, Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and others in Congress must move ahead with immigration reform. Partisan bickering may serve well as a sound clip for the nightly news shows, but it does nothing to improve the welfare of our nation or bring stability to a work force of vital importance to our agricultural industry.
* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Bob Crider, Spencer Hatton and Karen Troianello.
"Less than 100 out of 18,000 local, county and state agencies in the nation enforce immigration laws. In Maricopa County, Ariz., the sheriff there has attracted national news by rounding up suspected illegal immigrants. Not only does the sheriff detain them in canvas tents, he also forces them to wear pink jumpsuits.
That's no way to deal with the explosive issue of illegal immigrants."
Why? Because it's effective? We need more sheriffs like Joe Arpaio who have the guts to do something about illegal aliens.
"Having local law enforcement jail suspected illegal immigrants who haven't committed other crimes only worsens the situation, Granato argues.
Is identity fraud a crime? If an illegal alien is working in our country, then they have most likely committed a crime in addition to breaking our immigration laws.
"It causes a breakdown in trust for police within the community as fear replaces cooperation among illegal immigrants who end up refusing to contact police and report crimes."
This is the most pathetic argument. Should we stop enforcing all of our laws so people will have no fear of the police? If people break our laws, they should fear law enforcement, duh!
"Immigration reform" just means amnesty for illegals and open borders. I know it, you know it, and illegal aliens especially know it.
We should all agree that at a minimum our local law enforcement should check the citizenship status of suspects in criminal investigations, but our county sheriff even opposes that:
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/11/14/illegal-immigrants-unlawful-activities
"Yakima County Sheriff Ken Irwin regularly gets asked why immigration status isn't questioned when deputies are investigating a crime.
"We concentrate on the criminals committing crimes, not those people violating immigration law, because effective law enforcement is based on trust of the community," he said. "And if we have a large segment of the community that does not trust law enforcement, then the community as a whole is less safe because crime is not being reported."
rjames> It's about freaking time someone stood up and and stated what you just did. We need LEADERS in our law enforcement agencies, not sissys who only enforce laws against illegals WHEN they commit a VIOLENT crime. It's time we quit ALLOWING illegals to infiltrate our communities, drain our resources and infringe on the rights of others who have worked thier butts off all thier lives only to be turned away because they are not "Alien". They have already broken the law when they entered our country illegally. they are infringing on MY rights, Your rights, and our Parent's rights even before they commit a violent crime. Sherrif Irwin even said AND I QUOTE:
"And if we have a large segment of the community that does not trust law enforcement, then the community as a whole is less safe because crime is not being reported." HELLO!!!! It's THIS segment of the community commiting crimes.
We also have a "state of the art" brand new Jail, lying dormant that we could house these "illegals" in until they can be deported and wouldn't have to rent a building to do it. I'm all for bringing JOE FROM ARIZONA up here for 6 months to show our law enforcement how to deal with the situation and get something done. It's effective, and we don't have to worry about violating thier civil rights, they gave that up when they broke the law and entered our country illegally!
Americans are in continuous battle with the open border organization, that have fought E-Verify all the way to the courts. Leading the charge to eradicate E-Verify has been the ACLU, US Chamber of Commerce that along with ominous other entities are tied in with the business world. E-Verify was served to us by former President Bush as a pilot computer application, that tries to insure that anybody hired is--NOT AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT? After the Democratic administration took office Sen.Harry Reid, Speaker Pelosi tried to keep its apparent success from the general public by tabling it. Outrage from pro-sovereignty, anti-illegal immigration groups rose it to the surface of public opinion. Then their was little any radical politician could do to erase its popularity as its now being implemented by more and more. businesses. No computer has the ability to work perfectly first time. Their are always bugs, even bad programming that causes problems?
A number of hard hit states who are in the throes of a budget meltdown, have made it mandatory, While others like the SANCTUARY STATE of CALIFORNIA prefers that the legal population keeps paying out billions of dollars to subsidize in government entitlements for illegal aliens and their families. That is why California is hurting financially, because of millions of desperate foreign nationals having settled there. Everyday some biased company tries to demonize or make some elaborate rejection of its use. Even so its still there? For three years at least? As I have said many times before, all immigration tools are mollified or somehow ground-down so they--ONLY--seen to work? the malevolent status quo, their special interest lobbyists sources have payed-off our politicians, who like puppets use their powerful influence to underfund, undercut any working program to reverse illegal immigration.
Included is the 287 (g) state-county-municipal police federal immigration program, the right to question and detain suspicious people. ICE raids have been cauterized by Janet Napolitano, head of Homeland Security. No Match letter has already been rescinded, without giving it a chance to wage war on illegal alien stealing jobs. Our country has been overrun, not with the old reiterated number of 12 million, but somewhere between 20 and 30 million. The Tuscon Border Patrol will attest to that in their statement that only-ONE- is detained out of--TEN is apprehended. E-Verify is a program of ATTRITION that is progressive and updated with even more restrictive tools. Time is on Americas side and if fully funded, with top notch technicians to greatly improve its performance. New versions, new tools are appearing that will make it iron clad. Trying to annihilate E-Verify is seen as a opening discussions on Comprehensive Immigration Reform (AMNESTY BY ANY OTHER NAME), which is going to be even a much aggressive, people's battle.
But its compulsory E-Verification gets a MANDATE that everybody from the landscaping company to the roofing business use it. ICE has a hot line for any American worker to report companies who think their above the law, using foreign labor. We should all keep our eyes and ears open for wrongdoing? Less lenient today is businesses caught with illegal alien, risking fines and even imprisonment. E-Verify, 287 (g), the border, ICE raids are not perfect, but its a start to physically halt the illegal immigration occupation of this sovereign nation. Its a right and obligation to send all these foreign nationals home? If you want to learn more how laws are being undermined by corruption in Washington go to NUMBERSUSA, JUDICIALWATCH, IMMIGRATIONBUZZ, RIGHTSIDENEWS & DIRECTORBLUE. Or call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 for a more direct approach. .
Not verifying whether a person being charged with a crime is a legal citizen, just means law enforcement is willing to turn a blind eye to a criminal element that is dramatically changing the country. It also supports the human flood that also carries drug and human trafficking into the heartland.
Any one that tells you a person working here on a stolen Social Security Number is not an identity thief apparently has never had to explain to the IRS year after year that you never picked $17,000 worth of lettuce in California. Eventually, Treasury learned to just divert contributions where the SSN and name don't match into a fund and periodically flush it into the general fund.
The apologists also never had to deal with Southwest collection agencies trying to collect med bills, tuition loans, etc on your SSN. The collectors finally get to see that the name doesn't match the SSN, so they are more than willing to change it to match yours if they think it will help them collect from somebody. When they finally sell that collection to some other bottom feeder, it now looks like you really are the scofflaw even though you never lived in Buzzardterd, AZ.
Thanks to all the PDs more than willing to just pass the pain on for someone else to deal with.
Why not have the Sheriff down there, come up here. He could do both jobs, and send these we will/we do, guys packing. And take @#$% Zais too. Time to turn this area back around...NOW
Report ViolationThis issue drives me crazy the police basically say illegal aliens are not thier problem, meanwhile illegals and offspring of illegals go about their business unchecked. I would say this, the shootings that happen every other night as well as the other crimes that are gang related, didnt occure when I was growing up, they start happening when we had an illegal population in this town. When these crimes happen it then becomes a police problem, id say they are both 1 in the same. Its is about time law enforcement steppped up and did their job as well as the rest of the crew that recieves a pay check from the tax payers, if they dont who will. The only good thing about all this is that police are setting a policy of not enforcing federal law, wo when our guns are outlawed I dont expect the police to enforce that either.
Report ViolationFirst, we DO NOT need any reform that would grant amnesty for these illegal aliens. They are criminals. I am just SHOCKED that the poilce will not sign up for the 287(g) program and go after these illegal aliens. If the police feel this strongly that this is a Federal Issue (which it is not), States do have a right to enforce Immigration Laws, then maybe these police should go see Janet Flintstone and DEMAND she get out there and round up ALL the illegal aliens. So, what do you think about that? Either get her to do her job, or you do it. Whatever it takes, get rid of the illegal aliens! Clear enough?
Never fear... Representative Luis Guti
Report ViolationCapitalism = Free enterprise.
Dictatorship = absolute rule.
Socialism = Collectivism and Marxism.
Communism = A costly experiment for society.
Illegal = means illegal in any language. For those of us who are bi-lingual
sure joslyn, when for example the Communists call something illegal then the Capitalists never EVER break that law. We all speak the same language. Right?
Report ViolationLaws must represent and be enforced on all people equally and with no regard to race or ethnic origin.
Is receiving State and Federal benefits with a Fake ID a
Follow the money if you want to know what motivates the news.
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/99999999/EXTRAS03/70608011
Here it comes:
An article on the coming amnesty program announcement due on the 21st of March in the LA Times ... http://tinyurl.com/ygpx2tk
An interesting look at a different amnesty:
"We need AMNESTY.But we need a Malaysian style Amnesty.
Malaysia gave all illegals 90 days amnesty to leave and employers 90 days amnesty to stop employing illegals or both would be caned, fined and imprisoned.
Malaysian AMNESTY worked great! "
Federal problem demands federal fix:
The State of Washington needs a state "FIX".
We need law enforcement officials that actually enforce the law. The illegal aliens are stealing jobs rightfully belonging to legal residents and drive down wages. They are stealing Social Security numbers, the number that identifies a person, and the societal effects of the theft can be horrendous.
They flood our schools, our prisons, our hospitals and our legal systems and the costs must be assumed by legal residents..
Granato and Irwin do not want to enforce immigration law.
They should be replaced by people that will.
I fear we are led by "mental midgets".
my devil's advocacy, then a slap:
1. Things are worse than they used to be, hasn't the native population also increased. Rap music. is as good a gripe.
2. Blind eye to fraud, fraud, fraud. When they don't have a real ID, they are promoting at least one new underground railroad which makes effective circumvention of law practiced and promoted trade. Naturally, much not supported by gang/cartel activity improves their operative functional tactical capacity.
3. The 'underground railroads' I speak of are an insult. Those exploiting these methods today are not Jews fleeing Germany or Slaves escaping during civil war time. They are people who can't/won't get a work visa.
4. The influxes of other foreign nationals into United States have gotten off the dock and seen "Uncle Sam wants you." These 'frauds' are not even eligible for the draft. They often fly the mexican flag as soon as able. This is immoderate, impolite, and ungrateful. They have run away from home.
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