In solidarity with Latinos and foreign nationals in professional basketball and Latinos in their home state of Arizona, the Phoenix basketball team suited up for their NBA playoff game against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday (Cinco de Mayo, no less) in jerseys proclaiming them “Los Suns”. Bravo!

I’ve been sorely disappointed by most of the commentary related to Arizona’s lamentable immigration bill. There has been a great hue and cry over the potential for racial profiling and procedural abuse by Arizona law enforcement. These are real issues, and I don’t begrudge spilling a little ink on them, but it’s certainly not the central issue. What, pray tell, is that central issue? I’m so glad you asked. The central issue is the relationship between law enforcement officers and the communities they are sworn to protect. I’m not a cop, but it’s obvious that a police force cannot serve a community without trust between the cops and the populace. The chance of a cop in Arizona getting an important tip from an illegal immigrant, probably not that high to begin with, just dropped to zero. Worse, many families include both legal and illegal immigrants, the chance of a legal immigrant with an illegal family member volunteering information to a cop, presumably much higher, also dropped to zero. The threshold of illegal activity that will be needed to get anyone in these communities to dial 9-1-1 has to have gone up everywhere outside Maricopa County, where the fanatic sheriff Joe Arpaio has made a point of alienating anyone with Mexican ties, humanity, or intelligence.

Let’s make this very clear: The responsibility of the local constabulary is community safety. Even if bouncing current illegals is a national goal, If I Were King I would not allow local police to be involved. Their work is far too important and giving them this additional task is far too divisive. Safety in our communities must trump any minor financial gain from deporting a handful of illegals.