October 10, 2003 Letter to Representative Moran
October 10, 2003
The Honorable James P. Moran
U.S House of Representatives
2239 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-4608
Dear Representative Moran:
As your constituent, I urge you to oppose the CLEAR Act (HR 2671). It would hinder law enforcement agencies’ ability to do their job and inevitably lead to civil rights violations of American citizens and immigrants.
I do not believe that local and state law enforcement should be tasked with enforcing federal immigration law when they do not have the resources or the training needed to properly undertake this role. And at a time of severe budget crises, when local police departments are simultaneously laying off staff and responding to new homeland security mandates, tacking on such a wide body of federal laws to enforce would simply overwhelm these agencies.
I understand that police attribute plummeting crime rates over the last decade or so to the “community policing” philosophy, where local police work to gain the trust and confidence of the residents they are charged with protecting. Enactment of the CLEAR Act would undermine the efforts—and successes—of local police, as word that they are now immigration agents will spread like wildfire in newcomer communities. I have read that police chiefs themselves argue that when immigrants and their family members are scared to report crimes and suspicious activity, crimes go unsolved and the safety of the entire community is compromised.
I have learned that there are nearly eleven million naturalized U.S. citizens, and more than twenty-five million native-born Americans of Latin American and Asian descent. Some officers would inevitably stop and question people based on their ethnic background or their accent, leading to violations of the rights of U.S. citizens and legal residents whose only offense is “looking foreign.”
Once again, I urge you to oppose the CLEAR Act.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this matter.
Sincerely,
James Landrith
October 29, 2003
Mr. James Landrith
PO Box 8208
Alexandria, Virginia 22306
Dear Mr. Landrith:
Thank you for contacting my office and sharing your thoughts regarding the Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal Act of 2003 (H.R. 2671), more commonly known as the CLEAR Act.
As you may know, Representative Norwood introduced the CLEAR Act on July 9, 2003. If enacted, this legislation would require state and local law enforcement officers to enforce federal immigration laws. I have serious concerns about the effect passage of this legislation would have on local and state law enforcement and the diverse communities which exist across the U.S.
One of the most troubling consequences associated with the CLEAR Act is the chilling effect such legislation would have on communities, especially those with a high population of legal and undocumented immigrants. The success police officers have had in working with local communities to solve crimes by developing stronger levels of trust would be shattered. Most officers rely on conscientious and concerned residents to assist in fighting crime and catching criminals. The cooperative relationships that local law enforcement have worked very hard to establish within the immigrant community could be compromised due to a fear of deportation. The loss or perceived loss of this trust could hamper efforts to get violent criminals off the streets and thus do little to enhance the public’s safety.
State and local law enforcement also have significant concerns with the CLEAR Act. Our nation’s immigration laws are extremely complex with federal immigration agents undergoing 17-weeks of intensive training before becoming active. Given the tough situations many state and local government budgets face, it is inconceivable for these officers to receive sufficient training. Significant staff time would also be redirected from an already heavy case load to handle these new duties. The benefits of expending these valuable resources in this manner remain dubious.
Currently, the CLEAR Act has been referred to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Claims. While I do not sit on this committee, rest assured that I do not support the CLEAR ACL and will oppose its passage should this legislation come before the full House for a vote.
Please feel free to visit my website at http://www.house.gov/moran which contains information on topics that may be of interest to you. Thank you again for contacting me on this important issue.
Yours truly,
James P. Moran
JPM/int2