RSSNew Phoenix police policy feeble response to illegal immigration
Carolyn Hileman - The Voice* | February 27, 2008
ROBERT ROBB
The “bright line” drawn by Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon’s advisory committee on involving the Phoenix police department in immigration satisfies the politicians and the police brass.
However, it doesn’t best serve the people of Phoenix. To understand why requires taking a step back from the instant question - what should the police do about illegal immigration - and looking at the immigration issue more broadly.
Arizona is ground zero for illegal immigration. A larger percentage of our population consists of illegal immigrants than any other state.
There are benefits from illegal immigration. Total economic output is larger than it otherwise would be. The price of certain things, such as houses and restaurant meals, is less.
There are also costs - higher education and social welfare expenditures and a depressing effect on the wages of legal workers.
The people of Arizona have fairly clearly decided the costs outweigh the benefits. And while everyone understands that immigration is preeminently a federal issue, the public wants state and local officials to do what they can to reduce the incidence and consequences of illegal immigration.
Now, it may be the case that the people of Arizona also would like to see many illegal immigrants receive legal status and some sort of program established to increase legal immigrant labor.
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