Local Public Officials Have Earned our Skepticism
April 24, 2023
Government that maintains the trust of the governed has long been a hallmark of a vibrant and healthy democracy. But if you’re feeling lately that government is not leveling with you or acting in the best interests of the people, rest assured you’re not alone. For example, for years, Americans have listened to lawmakers peddle hollow “public interest” arguments advancing legislated or de facto sanctuary policies at the state and local level, while to no one’s surprise, the only beneficiaries have been illegal aliens and their special interests.
Very few enacted or proposed public policies are as consequential, deceptively marketed with flawed logic, or as cloaked in ulterior motives, as those dealing with immigration. While all of these have been pitched with numerous empty arguments, some Hall-of-Shame howlers are notable.
Sanctuary policies — generally referring to municipalities (or even entire states) refusing to cooperate with federal immigration law enforcement — exist in at least 564 jurisdictions around the country One common refrain is these policies heighten trust and information sharing between the immigrant community and local police. That’s hooey with no empirical basis. Virtually all police have the discretion to ignore the immigration status of a witness to a crime, and virtually all do. There is simply no documented evidence indicating that an illegal alien was ever deported as a result of reporting a crime or volunteering information to the police. The greater bond of trust between the immigrant community and police occurs when criminal aliens are not allowed to roam free in immigrant communities as a result of sanctuary policies.
https://www.fairus.org/blog/2023/04/24/local-public-officials-have-earned-our-skepticism
