10/27/07: 'Sanctuary City' Foes Are Wrong In Seeking To Criminalize Immigrants- Amy Kucin and Alex Gillis

'Sanctuary City' Foes Are Wrong In Seeking To Criminalize Immigrants

The Capital Times :: EDITORIAL :: A11

Saturday, October 27, 2007
Amy Kucin and Alex Gillis Madison

Dear Editor: State Sen. Glenn Grothman and state Rep. Roger Roth presented a legislative proposal to deny any local government the right to declare itself a "sanctuary city" for undocumented people. Their press release states, "Police in Wisconsin should be allowed to do their job and see that criminal aliens are not allowed to live invisibly among our communities. We must act to give our law enforcement the tools to keep our families safe."

The federal Real ID legislation, which recently passed in Wisconsin, while claiming to make everyone safer has actually created exactly the kind of situation it claimed to prevent: insecurity, anonymity and increased crime. How is it that the authors of Real ID and those who voted for it dare to say that we are safer if the police have no way to identify anyone?

Furthermore, a sanctuary city places no restriction on any police or legal officials and impedes no legal or investigative process simply by virtue of declaring itself a sanctuary. "Sanctuary city" simply means that the police and administration have stated publicly that they are not going to do the work of immigration officials.

What the legislators are truly attempting is to fuse the notions of "immigrant" and "dangerous criminal." Their campaign is based on deception and confusion, which only promotes fear, division and confrontation within our own communities. People with and without legal status commit crimes.

How is crime supposed to be controlled if people are encouraged to fear the police? And how are the police expected to find witnesses and information from 10 percent of the population if that 10 percent feels that they are public enemy No. 1?

We have to denounce this legislation for what it is: an attack on the safety of our community and a way to implant racism in its heart.

The enemies of the immigrant community are not going to cease their efforts to oust every one from this country or chase them all into the shadows.

The answer is to be clear and unified. Immigrants are part of the community and are just as valuable and hard-working as other people. This is yet another reason why we strive for both identification and sanctuary, because they promote solution through communication.

IDs for everyone now!!