Canada - Stronger federal action urged on illegal immigration

ELGIN -- Elgin Police Chief Lisa Womack urged federal lawmakers Thursday to take action soon on addressing illegal immigration, citing a failure to do so for what has become the public's "misunderstanding" of local law enforcement's role.

Speaking during a teleconference as part of a four-person panel of former and current local law enforcement officials, Womack described Elgin's issues concerning illegal immigration as "very similar" to those found in border states. She said it stemmed from the federal government's inability thus far to come up with a comprehensive plan for immigration reform.
"There's a clear misunderstanding on the local level from my community as to what the local role is in enforcement of immigration laws," Womack said. "In my community, a portion of them believe 'illegal is illegal' and that police need to deal with it, and if the federal government won't, then the local police should."
"We all know that is absolutely not an accurate statement," she continued. "Immigration law and immigration enforcement is a federal law enforcement agency matter."
Also featured at the forum -- hosted by the California-based Law Enforcement Engagement Initiative -- were El Paso County, Texas, Sheriff Richard Wiles; Yakima, Wash., Police Chief Sam Granato; and former Sacramento, Calif., police chief and current LEEI Project Director Arturo Venegas.
Venegas said immigration law enforcement has burdened local police departments over the last several years at a time when many are struggling with limited resources.
"We do not ask the federal government to handle the calls for service in our local community," he said. "And we for sure as heck do not have the resources to handle, in essence, the federal responsibility in immigration."
Womack said only people arrested for criminal acts have had their residency status checked, and that anything more would only help to stoke an air of distrust between officers and some within the communities they are trying to police.
"We want to have a safe and secure community," she said. "Those that are here in our community violating the laws regardless of their residency status is what we focus on -- that is the line that we draw in order that we can maintain that trust with our community so that we can have criminal activity being appropriately reported."