One of the main arguments used by sanctuary city supporters is that without the policy, illegal immigrants are less likely to report crimes. We at the Federation for American Immigration Reform know from talking to law enforcement officials around the country that that argument doesn\u2019t hold water.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, a recent case from Santa Clara, California, illustrates the reality of what happens when the sanctuary city mentality corrupts the justice system.<\/p>\n
The Daily Beast<\/a> has the story of Abhishek Gattani, an immigrant who is the CEO of a startup company there. Gattani was arrested after his wife Neha Rastogi went to police with a recording of him beating her. Gattani was charged with felony assault and other charges.<\/p>\n However, the Beast<\/em> says that the charges were lowered to a non-violent felony due to a no-deportation policy by the Santa Clara District Attorney.<\/p>\n Assistant District Attorney Steve Fein, described the plea deal to The Daily Beast as a fair outcome, noting that accessory after the fact is also a felony, though not a violent one that would place Gattani at risk of being deported back to his native India. Fein indicated that his boss, Santa Clara District Attorney Jeff Rosen, seeks to avoid such deportations.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The end result of Santa Clara\u2019s action is that a policy that is allegedly about protecting victims instead ends up protecting criminals.<\/p>\n Rastogi\u2014who is presently separated and in the process of a divorce\u00a0 from Gattani\u2014made her feelings dramatically clear in a\u00a0four-page victim impact statement<\/a>\u00a0that she read aloud in court on Thursday at what was supposed to have been the sentencing. She declared herself doubly victimized by her husband and by the criminal justice system.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n