The Quote Below—More Misinformation form the Media
“Trust is the lifeblood of community-oriented policing, and it is especially essential to reach marginalized groups — including undocumented immigrants — who might otherwise be afraid to come forward to law enforcement with information.
“My experience and the existing evidence, including a new paper this month from researchers in California and elsewhere, overwhelmingly suggest that immigrants — including undocumented immigrants — pose no greater threat to public safety than anyone else. As a whole, immigrant communities embody core American values, they work hard, and care deeply about their faith, families and communities.
“Law enforcement officers have to overcome many barriers to build trust with immigrant communities. Some are related to stereotypes and language barriers. But perhaps the greatest is fear among immigrant witnesses and victims that going to the police for help could inadvertently expose them or their loved ones to immigration consequences such as deportation. . . .
“The growing prominence of harmful rhetoric in the debate — references to immigrant ‘invasions’ — has further undermined trust. I am concerned it will continue to unnecessarily divide our communities and pose a danger to all of us, while putting a target on the backs of people I’ve sworn to serve and protect.
“Our federal immigration system, broken as it has been for decades now, doesn’t help. Immigrants who want to follow the law and come to the U.S. in search of safety and opportunity often find few if any lines to do so legally. People migrating today face a far more restrictive immigration landscape than did our ancestors who made us Americans, and for many of those who are already in the U.S. without authorization, there is no viable way to get right by the law. . . .
“Republicans and Democrats must come together with serious solutions, pairing border security with a pathway to lawful status for members of our communities who contribute to our social fabric and economy every day. . . .
“Immigration reform that would provide security and certainty to longtime, law-abiding U.S. residents not only would help them and their families — it also would help me and other law enforcement professionals do our jobs and improve public safety.” – Building Trust Is Essential to Keeping Communities Safe, Ramon Batista, The Orange County Register, 8/20/23 [Link]
Fact Check of Above Quote: The irony of this article is rich: a law enforcement officer advocating on behalf of lawbreakers. He justifies this with the claim that enforcing the law against illegal aliens will discourage them from reporting crimes—as if illegal immigration isn’t a crime. And contrary to his assertion, it is not a victimless crime. From identity theft to violence, illegal immigration harms Americans. Furthermore, extensive studies reveal that the alleged “chilling effect” of enforcement on crime reporting is a myth. The writer has the effrontery to allege that illegal aliens have “core American values.” Are we supposed to believe that respect for the rule of law isn’t a part of that core?
Next he suggests that we should not crack down on illegal aliens because we don’t give foreigners enough opportunities to come here legally. Really? For the past three decades we’ve been admitting an average of one million a year. Is that really too few?
The writer says it’s important that we go easy on illegal aliens to gain their trust because social trust is important. He doesn’t seem concerned about the breakdown in social trust caused by unrestrained illegal immigration. Citizens see a government that enforces laws for them to obey, while allowing foreigners to ignore our laws. In this situation, many citizens are beginning to wonder if they are second class citizens. Our current leaders in Washington reinforce this misgiving by leaving our border wide open. Respect for the rule of law made our country great. Removing that respect will be our downfall.