Law Enforcement Officials Back Immigration Reforms

By: Alex Rodriguez

Author: Antonio Olivo

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-enforcement-immigration-20100224,0,1959289.story

Summary:

Some local law enforcement officials have come out in support of immigration reform and are calling on Congress to act.  Wednesday, Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran supported federal immigration reform in an interview with the Chicago Tribune. He said among other reasons that processing and imprisoning illegal immigrants is costing millions of dollars. The Lake Country Sherriff Curran also says immigration reforms that would allow some of the estimated 10 million illegal immigrants in the country a route to legalization is also “The morally right thing to do.”

On Thursday, Elgin Police Chief Lisa Womack, along with other local law enforcement officials will ask Congress to act on federal immigration reform.  Chief Womack says the immigration enforcement places too large a burden on local law enforcement.   

Lake County Sherriff Curran faces re-election in November. His opponent in the election called Curran an “opportunist” on the immigration issue.

Relationship to Class:

                We have talked in class about how people view immigrants and how in the past and present what America has done with immigrants. In the history we have read in class, people have always argued about immigration and what is the best way to deal with and how we Americans should treat immigrants. Like in this article many supported immigration to the U.S. and with that many opposing views were generated and it stretched from local authorities to congress.

Questions:  

1.            Do you think that Lake County Sherriff Currant is trying to get votes by supporting immigration reform?

2.            Do you think that the law enforcement cost of detaining and processing illegal immigrants should be a reason to support immigration reform?

3.            Do you think immigration reform will have any effect on the congressional and local election in November?

My Answers:

1.       Yes I believe this because since politicians are always trying to please their voters and they will do anything to remain in the good graces of the majority of voters.  By doing this he is trying to appeal to the immigrant voters in his area.

2.       Yes, because local law enforcement is there to deal with criminals and people who have committed crimes.  Yet they are now burdened with handling people whose only problem is their immigration status.  Until the past five years, in the US, their immigration status was a civil offense not a criminal offense.

3.       I think not, because there are bigger issues to worry about such as the economy, the deficit, and health care.