Solutions:
Increase public safety by preventing state and local law enforcement authorities from enforcing immigration violations.
Local police agencies dependon the cooperation of immigrants, legal and illegal, to prevent and solve crime. Without assurances that they, or their families, will not become targets of an immigration investigation and possible deportation, many immigrants with critical information will not come forward.[i] Furthermore, adding enforcement responsibilities to officers’ duties will overburden police resources and decrease the amount of time available for officers to engage in their primary responsibility: preserving community safety and arresting criminals.[i] Officers must continue their efforts to maintain a trusting relationship with community members by avoiding the racial discrimination inherent in attempting to identify undocumented immigrants.[ii]
[i] Hannah Gladstein, et al. “Blurring the Lines: A profile of State and Local Police Enforcement of Immigration Law Using the National Crime Information Center Database, 2002-2004.” Migration Policy Institute. December 2005. p23
[ii] Lisa M. Seghetti, Stephen R. Viña, and Karma Ester. “Enforcing Immigration Law: The Role of State and Local Law Enforcement.” Congressional Research Service. March 2004. p 7