The time to reconsider the county’s anti-illegal immigrant policy draws near.
As the practical application of the policy becomes reality, many people are beginning to raise questions.
And one of those doing the questioning is Woodbridge supervisor Frank Principi. He is planning on proposing that the county repeal the part of its policy that directs police to check the citizenship or immigration status of criminal suspects they believe are in the U.S. unlawfully.
We think repealing this portion of the policy makes sense.
First, having the police force be an arm of immigration enforcement weakens ties to the immigrant community and creates a fearful environment.
Second, this portion of the policy puts the county and its police officers at risk.
Police Chief Charlie T. Deane had wanted video cameras installed in patrol cars to protect officers from allegations of racial profiling.
But money for the cameras was cut Tuesday from the proposed county budget which means that the protection Deane requested is gone.
But the biggest reason why this portion of the policy should be rescinded is that it is unnecessary.
During the first month that the policy was in place, 41 illegal immigrants were arrested and Chief Deane said that all but two of them would have gone to jail regardless.
Jail officials already check the immigration status of people who come to jail. It is redundant to have police officers checking as well.
Our officers don’t have the time to seek out and catch people who are here unlawfully if they have not committed any other crime.
Those illegal immigrants they pick up for criminal offenses will be found out once in jail.
So, having our police officers check immigration status creates fear in the immigrant community, is dangerous to our police officers and is pointless. We hope Principi is successful in repealing this part
of the resolution.
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