WASHINGTON, DC (September 12, 2013) — The so-called “chilling effect” immigration enforcement is alleged to have on police trust in immigrant communities is a myth, concludes a new publication from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) presenting a collection of government and academic research.
The Center finds that many law enforcement leaders believe that robust immigration law enforcement produces significant criminal justice cost savings as well as public safety benefits. Many of these leaders advocate for local officers to assist and participate in immigration enforcement, and welcome U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as a public safety partner agency. A diverse group of local law enforcement leaders has endorsed the SAFE Act (H.R. 2278), which would mandate better cooperation between ICE and local police agencies and increase and expedite the removal of criminal aliens.
“Career law enforcement professionals understand that the best way to build trust in the communities that they protect is to enforce all laws in a predictable, fair and non-discriminatory manner, and not to pick and choose based on the demands of grievance groups,” says Jessica Vaughan, Director of Policy Studies at CIS. “And given the irrefutable connection between illegal immigration and certain crime problems, it is no wonder that local officers feel compelled to participate in immigration enforcement. In my experience, most local officers want to help ICE, not obstruct them from doing their job. ”
View the entire publication at: http://cis.org/Immigration-Policy-Fact-Sheets/immigration-enforcement-and-community-policing