Newark Councilman: Deport Criminals, Open 'Pathway To Citizenship'

NEWARK, NJ — Last week’s federal immigration raid in Newark has polarized New Jersey’s largest city, with some people decrying the latest ICE arrests and others cheering for them – and few advocating a pathway in between. But according to a local city councilman, there’s a middle ground that deserves more spotlight.

Tensions and anxieties are high in Essex County after ICE agents carried out a surprise raid at a seafood distributor in the Ironbound section of Newark last Thursday. Three undocumented residents were arrested and several others were detained during the “warrantless” raid, including a U.S. military veteran.

• See Related: ICE Immigration Raid Shocks New Jersey (5 Things To Know)
• See Related: Report: Man Arrested In Newark ICE Raid Isn’t A Criminal, Cousin Says

Councilman Michael Silva was one of the elected officials present at a news conference to discuss the raid on Friday.

Silva – a “proud son of Portuguese immigrants” who has spent his entire life in the Ironbound – has also spent 28 years in law enforcement. And there are several ways of looking at the immigration crisis, he says.

“I have seen firsthand the hardworking and family-oriented immigrants (both documented and undocumented) who make this community what it is,” Silva said.

On the flip side of the coin, there are unquestionably some “bad apples that have brought harm to our country,” he adds. And when it comes to violent criminals, it’s in the nation’s best interest to deport them “as quickly as possible.”

“With the increased emphasis on the issue of illegal immigration coming out of Washington, we will be hearing of countless ‘raids’ and arrests throughout the country in the coming weeks,” Silva said. “This is a highly emotional issue, and we need a serious, well designed and comprehensive solution for this serious and complex situation affecting all of us.”

“What I am asking the federal officials executing these cases is for them to treat the community at large – overwhelmingly good people [who] may be caught in the middle – with the respect and dignity they have earned and deserved,” Silva added.

• See Related: NJ Undocumented Immigrants Pay $1B In Taxes, Study Says (Here’s How)
• See Related: NJ Immigrants Own 47 Percent Of ‘Main Street’ Businesses

Here are the councilman’s thoughts on how to move forward as a nation, he said:

SECURE BORDERS – “We must have secure borders! While this country was built on immigration and all of us have a family history that started outside this country, we can’t have an open border and simply allow everyone in. While the overwhelming majority of immigrants to our country are hardworking people trying to improve the lives of their families, an uncontrolled system does allow for the entry of some criminals. I’ve seen this as a police officer and now as a municipal councilman. Of equal importance on this issue, uncontrolled immigration puts a strain on our educational and health care system as well as our municipal services.”

DEPORT CRIMINALS – “I support the accelerated deportation of any undocumented individual with a serious criminal record. I fully believe that this country needs to continue its tradition of welcoming immigrants, but clearly there is no place for anyone that commits serious crimes within their adopted communities.”

PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP – “The country needs to create a Pathway to Citizenship for hard-working, law-abiding residents. The reality is that our legal system can’t handle, and our economy can’t support ‘expelling’ upwards of 15 million people. I believe that, after closing the border, we should give the currently undocumented an opportunity to register for temporary work authorization. If these folks work, pay taxes, and respect all of our laws for 5 years, they should then be able to become legal permanent residents (green card holders). Without changing current law, they would then be eligible after another 5 years (10 years total) to become U.S. citizens.”

RESPECTFUL WORKPLACE ENFORCEMENT – “After closing the border, and allowing people to register for work authorization, we should then begin a strict, respectful and dignified, enforcement of workplaces to make sure that everyone working is indeed authorized to do so. The reality is that the ‘magnet’ that attracts immigrants to our country is the ability to find a job and work to improve their lives. If we truly wanted to ‘end’ illegal immigration, restricting job opportunities only for those authorized to work would be the most effective way to do so.”

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Newark Facebook page.