On July 1, the Washington State Sheriff’s Association wrote a letter to Sen. Patty Murray and Sen. Maria Cantwell urging reform for the immigration system. The sheriff’s association wants the president and congress to fix the immigration process because, according to the letter, it is eroding the immigrant community’s trust for the state and local police. In the letter, the group provided examples of how the current immigration system is increasing the crime rate in the neighborhoods. The letter specifically mentioned how this system is allowing illegal drug trade and victimization of illegal immigrants, and overburdening schools and the health care system. The sheriff’s association calls for a faster process to legalize immigrants who have immediate family ties and to punish employers who use the broken system to gain more profit. ♦
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