The American Immigration Council does not endorse or oppose candidates for elected office. We aim to provide analysis regarding the implications of the election on the U.S. immigration system.
Tired of spending scant time and resources on immigration enforcement, major city police chiefs called on Congress, Wednesday, to move on comprehensive immigration reform. Like most law enforcement officers across the country, chasing down undocumented immigrants proves to be too much of a strain when faced with real priorities like keeping violent criminals off the street.
Chief Art Acevedo of the Austin Police Department in Texas said, “It’s a matter of resources and priority. My priority is dealing with criminals and terrorism issues, not dealing with civil matters. Local law enforcement officers have said it time and time again—Congress needs to pass legislation that brings immigrants out of the shadows so that they feel safe coming forward when reporting violent crimes.
