President. I. too. rise to oppose the Vitter amendment. For the benefit of our colleagues. they should know a similar amendment was defeated on the immigration bill this year. I opposed the amendment then and I oppose it now. I oppose it on substantive grounds. and I oppose it also on the grounds related to States rights and home rule. To refresh everyone. what the Vitter amendment would do is ban local governments from receiving Federal law enforcement funds if a city or a locality has passed a law prohibiting police from asking an immigration status. Why is this bad? First of all. local law enforcement officers all across America are opposed to this amendment. Their opposition has been very well articulated by our colleague from New Jersey. What has been articulated by local law enforcement communities Is they believe they should not be held responsible for enforcing Federal immigration laws. that Federal laws on immigration should be enforced by Federal immigration authorities. This amendment would also make it harder for local police to enforce laws and stop crime. One of the things that would happen. if police are forced to do this. it would foster great mistrust in our immigrant communitiesmeaning immigrants who are here legally. You know. there are many immigrants who are here legally. Because you might have a last name such as Sanchez doesnt mean you are an illegal immigrant. You might be the owner of an IT business in Silver Spring. MD. One of the things we are concerned about is that immigrants. then. will not report crimes or will not give information to those who could go after serious crimessuch as the gang effort. We are also concerned when people will not come forward particularly related to domestic violence. If there is domestic violence. a battered spouse might not call the police because it could trigger some type of raid In their own community. This is not a good way to go. Lets go to the consequences of local communities deciding what they want to do. What we are talking about is a situation where a city or a locality has passed a law prohibiting police from asking an immigration status. That is their right. That Is their right. to say what they want to do in their own community.
Identified stereotypes
Assuming someone is an illegal immigrant based on their last name.