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(Office of Assemblymember Dana Levenberg)<\/p>\n (Office of Assemblymember Dana Levenberg)<\/p>\n
Much has been said recently about so-called \u201csanctuary\u201d jurisdictions, referring to locations where local officials protect residents by limiting the collection and sharing of information about individuals\u2019 immigration status. Those complaining about \u201csanctuary\u201d the loudest are typically very quiet about the\u00a0enormous<\/a>\u00a0amount of\u00a0needless suffering<\/a>\u00a0our federal government is currently inflicting on those who come into contact with immigration enforcement \u2013\u00a0documented<\/a>\u00a0and undocumented immigrants alike, and\u00a0even United States citizens<\/a>. Renee Good and Alex Pretti were killed while documenting such actions. Other American citizens have found themselves in the crosshairs of ICE while simply traveling to work, like veteran\u00a0George Retes<\/a>, or on their way to a doctor\u2019s appointment, like\u00a0Aliya Rahman<\/a>.<\/p>\n Federal leaders who criticize local jurisdictions for policies that protect immigrants are, first and foremost, deflecting blame for their own negligence. Under both political parties, the federal government has mismanaged immigration for decades, undermining our ability to benefit from one of our greatest strengths as a nation \u2013 our ability to attract newcomers.\u00a0<\/p>\n America was built by people who came here from abroad \u2014 voluntarily and involuntarily \u2014 and each successive wave of migrants has contributed enormously to our culture and our economy. Both documented and undocumented immigrants pay taxes;\u00a0in 2022, undocumented immigrants paid nearly $100 billion in federal, state and local taxes<\/a>. Immigrants\u00a0typically take jobs that complement those of native-born Americans<\/a>, which boosts our economy;\u00a0reducing immigration undermines our economic prospects<\/a>\u00a0and does not benefit American workers.\u00a0<\/p>\n We do ourselves a major disservice when we treat immigration as a problem instead of a gift to be harnessed.\u00a0Immigrants commit crimes at far lower rates than native-born Americans<\/a>, and as the highest-funded law enforcement agency in the country, ICE has all of the resources it needs to pursue the small percentage of immigrants who do commit crimes. However, it appears those resources are currently being misallocated. ICE agents have complained to outlets like the\u00a0New York Post\u00a0that\u00a0the current quota-driven approach to immigration enforcement has led them to take their focus off of criminals<\/a>, and direct it instead toward anyone they can get their hands on. The incompetence and cruelty boggles the mind; we have\u00a0innocent people being locked up<\/a>, while\u00a0dangerous individuals<\/a>\u00a0roam free.\u00a0<\/p>\n