Enforcing Immigration Law: The Role of State and Local Law Enforcement

Publication Date: March 2009

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Law and ethics

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Abstract:

There is concensus that Border and Transportation Security (BTS) is a pivotal function in protecting the American people from terrorists and their instruments of destruction. The issue for Congress is how to achieve desired levels of security, while not compromising other important values in the process. This report addresses possible new approaches and policy options that might be explored by Congress to attain these goals. It is one of three CRS reports in a series that make use of analytical frameworks to better understand complex problems in BTS and to facilitate consideration of alternative policies and practices. (The first report in the series, CRS Report RL32839, Border and Transportation Security: The Complexity of the Challenge, analyzes the reasons why BTS is so difficult to achieve. The second report CRS Report RL32840, Border and Transportation Security: Selected Programs and Policies, discusses programs now in place. This report is the last in the series).