Chris Magnus
Tucson police chief
The Tucson Police Department has been put in a challenging position as we work to maintain strong relationships with both documented and undocumented residents in our immigrant/refugee communities.
Tucson has long been an “immigrant-welcoming city.” We take pride in the ways our residents work together to make Tucson safe, culturally diverse and economically vibrant.
I am saddened by the fear that many residents are experiencing as a result of recent presidential executive orders and concerned about much of the rhetoric associated with the current debate over immigration and refugee policy. From organizations to individuals, the anxiety is palpable.
Therefore, I would like to assure all those who live, work, or visit Tucson that our department’s policies related to immigration remain exactly the same.
The president’s executive orders do not dictate our local policies or practices. We have neither the authority nor the resources to take on any new immigration enforcement responsibilities. As police officers, our primary mission is to serve and protect our residents. In this respect, we are committed to preserving the safety of our community and upholding the rule of law, which can best be accomplished with trust and transparency.
The issue of so-called “sanctuary jurisdictions” is complex. There is no set definition of what constitutes a “sanctuary jurisdiction.” As a result, the term is often used much too broadly. The term may sweep in localities that engage in well-established community policing practices or simply because they follow federal court decisions, like rulings that have found that federal immigration detainers violate the Constitution. It’s important our residents understand that TPD complies with state immigration laws and works with our federal partners to address such challenges as human trafficking and violent gangs.
Our communities are safer when there are clearly defined roles that ensure the most appropriate relationships between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. Local control has been a beneficial approach to conducting municipal law enforcement for decades. When the federal government compels local police agencies to carry out new and sometimes problematic expectations, it undermines a delicate balance and sets back community-policing progress.
I am confident that by keeping open lines of communication with federal law enforcement and by relying on the valuable expertise and resources of our officers, we can prioritize true threats. We must work together with our county, state, and federal partners to keep Tucson safe, but it makes more sense to leave the enforcement of immigration laws to the federal government. It is imperative that our immigrant and refugee communities feel comfortable reporting crimes without fear of federal immigration law.
Our department is committed, in fact duty-bound, to protecting and preserving the civil, constitutional, and human rights of all residents and visitors. Our General Orders prohibit racial profiling and expressly state that victims/witnesses of crime will not be the focus of immigration-status inquiries.
Tucson’s elected leaders have been similarly steadfast. The city supports comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level and the “Dream Act”; is committed to the protection of all families and children — regardless of immigration status; opposes the deportation of persons who have no serious criminal history; condemns hate speech and violence; condemns threats of mass deportation and has publicly declared it will not participate in such actions; and has proclaimed that all persons must be able to live in our city without fear arising out of immigration status.
In the months and years ahead, our primary goal will remain the same: to reduce crime and assure public safety by partnering with all Tucson residents, regardless of their immigration status.
