One of President Donald Trump’s key promises of his campaign is the removal of up to three million undocumented immigrants from the United States, mainly those who have criminal records. However, Trump appears to face not only public opposition to his immigration plans, but possibly obstruction by local and state law enforcement, who would have to implement any new policies.
In many cases, federal immigration agents depend on local and state police forces to identify violators of immigration laws. Local and state law enforcement would then turn those individuals over to the Department of Homeland Security’s immigration-enforcement arm.
The truth is, local law enforcement in this country comprises the vast majority of these policing resources. Despite the amount of talk behind federal policy and the federal government’s growth, their capabilities are quite limited despite how massive the country is itself.
From local law enforcement’s standpoint, these policies could lead to chaos amongst the communities they police. These police departments rely heavily on the communities themselves which help them with policing efforts and keeping the areas safe. If they don’t have cooperation of the community, it is a major problem for law enforcement.
Perhaps the bigger picture now is how committed Trump’s administration to expanding federal control of local and state jurisdictions? And how dedicated are they to listening to what’s really happening in those communities?
If you are facing criminal charges that may hurt your chances of immigration, contact Kanu & Associates, P.C. and schedule a consultation today.