"Imagine driving your elderly mother to a doctor’s appointment and being charged with a third-degree felony. Or having your neighbor over for dinner, only to be arrested. Imagine your pastor giving a young couple shelter in your church, only to be taken into police custody.

If passed, SB 1718 would criminalize lending a helping hand if the object of that help is an undocumented immigrant — it tears up the very fabric of social ties and trust that brings cohesion to a community. This isn’t about punishing immigrants who help immigrants — U.S. citizens would be criminalized too for lending support. Which leads to the question: What is the real purpose of this bill?

SB 1718 is intended not only to completely isolate undocumented immigrants from their support networks, but it will instill harm; it is sanctioned state violence against immigrants and U.S. citizens alike, and it is bad policy likely intended to be weaponized politically."

KJ