The battle for Attorney General seems to be intensifying a bit, and one of the latest issues that they two candidates are battling over is illegal immigration.  One of the questions that tends to come up is whether local law enforcement should ask people about immigration status when talking with them.  The classic Republican line tends to be "of course they should" because they want to be "tough" on illegal immigration.  But is asking the best thing if your goal is to reduce crime?

Let's face it.  Illegal immigration isn't going to decrease one iota simply because local cops might ask the question.  In a year, maybe one or two illegals will be caught and deported because of local cops, and that's in a good year.  The reality is that breaking immigration laws ranks pretty law as far as crime goes.  Murder... rape... grand theft... these are the things that we want our local law enforcement to go after more than illegal immigration.  It's also a fact that areas with high concentrations of illegal immigrants tend to have higher crime.  This is not only because of poverty, but because they are easier to victimize given the fact they're less likely to report crime to the police.  Some of these criminals are illegals and some of them aren't.  Some of the victims are illegals, and some of them aren't.  But illegal immigrants are witnesses.

But witnesses will never come forward with what they know as long as they think they'll get deported for their trouble.  So if local law enforcement publicly announced that they won't question your status if you come forward with information regarding crimes... is that a bad thing?  Is it worth not catching a couple people who jumped the fence, if it means that a few murderers and rapists are put behind bars instead?

And don't worry.  Agreeing with me doesn't mean you want to give them amnesty.  Hell... I don't want to give them amnesty.  Am I crazy here?

Update:  It seems the Journal editors are reading my blog, and Fred seems to think I'm crazy... though he doesn't explain why.  I suppose I was asking for it when I asked a Yes/No question.  But come on folks... that's the best you've got?