Avoid the slippery slope of ‘soft-on-crime’ policies that progressives want

Several high-level Democrats recently have endorsed a proposal that would make it a non-criminal act to illegally cross the U.S. border. As loony as this policy may sound, does it really come as a surprise to anyone?

The liberal wing of the Democratic Party is adamant on upending decades of sound law enforcement policies in favor of a radical progressive approach. Open borders, weak-on-crime prosecutors, and drug injection sites are on the table. It’s time to fight back against these misguided policies and take a stand for the rule of law.

{mosads}By all measures, Americans are enjoying a golden era of safety. Violent and property crime offenses have plummeted in the past 25 years. In a recent Gallup poll, only 30 percent of Americans stated they would be afraid to walk alone at night within a mile of where they live, a historic low for this survey question.

As a former prosecutor, I know a thing or two about policies that keep people safe. To be clear: “Broken Windows” policing works. Locking up criminals works. Strong sentencing guidelines work. And yet, Democrats want to completely throw this time-tested playbook out the window to appease their growing progressive base.

To start, let us circle back to the ridiculous notion that illegally crossing our border should be decriminalized. Officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection estimated that in March a whopping 100,000 people tried or illegally crossed into the United States via our southern border. Almost 1,000 attempted illegal-crossers were rounded up near the Yuma border in a three-day span alone.

These illegal entries include folks looking for work but also dangerous gang members. Members of the vicious MS-13 gang, whose motto is “kill, rape, control,” make their way up through Honduras and El Salvador to terrorize Americans. Drug smugglers and human traffickers also frequently traverse our unsecured border.

Do Democrats care to explain why in the world we would decriminalize illegal crossings, considering all of this?

Despite these damning statistics, Democrats and the mainstream media claim there is no crisis at our border. In lieu of working with President Trump to fully fund a border wall and other security measures, they’d rather play politics with people’s lives. Just ask Angel Moms, such as Michelle Root and Evelyn Rodriguez, who have lost sons and daughters to illegal aliens.

In addition to our southern border, U.S. cities are facing a lawlessness crisis, too.

Buoyed by liberal, wealthy donors and other special interest groups, progressive prosecutors are gaining traction across the country. Nowhere is this better illustrated than in Philadelphia where District Attorney Larry Krasner has worked diligently to craft a soft-on-crime prosecutorial agenda. Under Krasner’s guidelines, a grab bag of criminal offenses no longer are prosecuted.

Heinous crimes such as homicide even have gotten the “kid gloves” treatment because Krasner believes that we should not “overcharge” felons, even those who kill. As a result, a shocking number of defendants have had their sentences reduced from murder to manslaughter. Krasner has become the poster child for other progressive district attorneys across the country seeking to undermine the rule of law.

Progressives also have gained steam in their fight to open up so-called “safe” injection sites across the country, where addicts can use illegal street drugs in a medically sanctioned environment. Undeniably, safe injection sites further normalize the use of extreme drugs.

These sites offer no restrictions on who can shoot up and when. Should a minor be allowed to try black tar heroin for the first time uninterrupted? Are law enforcement officers going to be forced to watch while exploitative drug dealers sell dope to vulnerable addicts? How many times can an addict overdose in a single day?

Thankfully, the Trump administration has been pushing back against these radical policies and standing strong for the rule of law. This means tougher punishments for criminal aliens and more funds for border security measures, stronger measures against those flooding our communities with opioids, and promises of a stringent crackdown on any city that supports a safe injection site.

These policies make our country safer and stronger. Law enforcement should always focus on putting the interests of families and children first. With this in mind, we can’t let the radical left undue decades of steady progress. We must stand with President Trump to keep our nation safe.

Kimberly Guilfoyle (@KimGuilfoyle) is vice chairwoman of America First Policies, a nonprofit organization supporting key policy initiatives that will work for all citizens and put America first.