A story

My name is Manny Flores. I know who killed those two boys over on North Street in July. The killer is a friend of my son. They are both in the same gang. In fact, the gun is hidden in my house.

But I will never tell you. You see, I am undocumented. I like that word you came up with. It makes me feel good.

But worse, I have been deported before. If I am caught, I will do time. I will be a felon.

So, I’m not saying anything.

A sad story, isn’t it? But it is just that, a story.

But the police must grapple with such situations in neighborhoods with large numbers of foreign-born. Chief Womack knows all about it. Sugar Land Texas is 30% Asian. She only spent a year and a half as chief there, but she knows the challenges. That’s why the city hired her.

So, let’s step back. How do we reach Manny and get him to cooperate with police? The short answer is –you don’t!

Well, what if you forbid the police from even broaching the subject of residency? We promise not to bring it up. Well, Chicago has had that policy since 1987. LA issued Special Order 40 in 1979. Does any rational human being think that these policies have had an impact on gang activity among the foreign-born?

Or, what if we gave you a visa for snitching on your family? Actually, we do a have a U Visa program just like that. It doesn't work for all the bureaucracy. And if it did, we have no reason to believe illegals will use it.

How about hiring more Hispanic officers? Manny will go out of his way to hide from them. They have even more tools to discover his dirty secret.

What if we teach McGruff to speak Spanish and pass out t-shirts to Manny’s children? Sorry folks, that won’t work either. These kids live in an ethnic enclave 24/7, a cocoon of protection that keeps them safe from the Gringo ways.

Part of the problem is that Manny has no respect for Americans. None. Manny thinks we are greedy, lazy, and stupid. We are a meal ticket for him and his family. Nothing more.

And we are stupid for thinking Manny will behave like a law-abiding citizen when he is neither.