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Federal problem demands federal fix

This editorial appears in the March 3, 2010, Yakima Herald-Republic.

If Congress needs encouragement for tackling comprehensive immigration reform, look no further than Washington state's law enforcement agencies.

While it's rare these days to see unanimity in anything that's politically contentious, our state sheriffs and police chiefs are unified in opposing any effort by the federal government to dump the problem of illegal immigration in their laps. That's why not a single agency in the state has signed up for a federal program giving local law enforcement officials the authority to enforce immigration laws.

Yakima Police Chief Sam Granato and Yakima County Sheriff Ken Irwin have both sounded off against having local agencies arrest undocumented immigrants, whom experts estimate total more than 11 million nationwide.

"We would very quickly fill up our jails, and where would the real criminals be?" asked Granato, who spoke recently during a nationwide telephone news conference sponsored by the Law Enforcement Engagement Initiative, which promotes comprehensive immigration reform for police chiefs and sheriffs.

On behalf of the Washington State Sheriff's Association, Irwin wrote a letter last summer seeking a systematic change to immigration laws.

"We urge Congress and the President to enact a comprehensive immigration law that secures the borders and addresses the reality of illegal workers in a comprehensive manner so that this nation can now move forward."

Less than 100 out of 18,000 local, county and state agencies in the nation enforce immigration laws. In Maricopa County, Ariz., the sheriff there has attracted national news by rounding up suspected illegal immigrants. Not only does the sheriff detain them in canvas tents, he also forces them to wear pink jumpsuits.

That's no way to deal with the explosive issue of illegal immigrants.

Having local law enforcement jail suspected illegal immigrants who haven't committed other crimes only worsens the situation, Granato argues. It causes a breakdown in trust for police within the community as fear replaces cooperation among illegal immigrants who end up refusing to contact police and report crimes.

We fully support Granato and Irwin. Illegal immigration is a federal problem that needs a federal fix. Having police officers and sheriffs deputies take on the task of enforcing outdated immigration laws is not the answer, and never will be.

Comprehensive immigration reform must embrace not only surveillance and enforcement along our borders, but also a robust supply of guest workers for agriculture.

U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Pasco, Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and others in Congress must move ahead with immigration reform. Partisan bickering may serve well as a sound clip for the nightly news shows, but it does nothing to improve the welfare of our nation or bring stability to a work force of vital importance to our agricultural industry.

* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Bob Crider, Spencer Hatton and Karen Troianello.