Senator Sharon Runner:
I strongly oppose the legislation (AB1081) that would turn down ICE requests for detaining illegal immigrants unless the individuals are serious criminals. Voters like me fear the consequences of such a policy and want you to oppose the measure on concurrence.
Limiting detainers allows many criminal illegal immigrants, including those who have not yet been convicted, to escape deportation and return to the streets to commit more crimes.
It is wrong to say that we need this legislation so that illegal immigrants will cooperate with police. Federal law already protects witnesses or crime victims who are unlawfully present in the United States. Congress specifically created a U
visa so that crime victims could remain in the U.S. to assist law officers.
Also, let’s not forget that illegal immigrants are taking jobs from citizens and legal residents while California unemployment stands at 10.8 percent. Unemployment is almost double for young people between 16 and 24 — 16.5 percent. More than two in 10 Latino youth are jobless, while three in 10 black youth are unemployed.
It is your duty to protect constituents, not throw us under the bus. Vote NO on AB1081.
Phone me if you would like to talk about this,
Greg Raven
P.S. We can’t trust Governor Brown to do the right thing and veto this bill, so it’s defeat is up to you.
