Mayor’s policy is an essential tool for fighting crime

As a member of the Garden Grove City Council, I recognize the myriad challenges in leading an ethnically diverse community. On many issues, what is considered common sense must be tempered with sensitivity so we do not alienate any particular segment of our population.

However, too often issues are couched in misleading terms, which then leads to unnecessary division and rancor.

One such example is the issue of illegal immigration. Attempts to address illegal immigration have been diluted into anti-immigration sound bites. The focus should properly be on the illegal act (hence the term illegal immigrant) and not on any conceived anti-immigration sentiment.

Requiring people to go through proper channels to be in this country legally is not equivalent to being anti-immigrants. My family and I, for example, waited years in a refugee camp in Thailand before being allowed to immigrate to the United States.

Entering the country illegally was not an option that we or many Vietnamese refugees at that time would pursue or even consider. We didn’t want our first act in this great country to be criminal.

In addition to our national interest in knowing who resides within our borders (which in this post-Sept. 11 world is of critical importance), we also have an interest in removing criminal elements who, in addition to being here illegally, are taking advantage of their invisible legal status to prey on our community.

For taking the lead in this important battle to keep our streets safe, I applaud the leadership of Mayor Allan Mansoor and the support of his colleagues on the City Council, Eric Bever and Gary Monahan, on the issue of illegal immigration for the city of Costa Mesa.

Let’s not allow these criminals of illegal status to continue to prey on our children and community. For them, we should have zero tolerance.

* EDITOR’S NOTE: Janet Nguyen is a Garden Grove city councilwoman.

20060119ir40hmkn(LA)Steve Nelson, left, a Minuteman supporter from San Juan Capistrano, argues with Tim Lewis, right, a Costa Mesa business owner, outside the Costa Mesa City Council chambers in December.