Massachusetts State Representative Ryan Fattman thinks that if you’re an undocumented victim of a crime, you better be afraid to come forward – even if you’re an undocumented victim of rape.
The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reports
When asked whether or not he would be concerned about an undocumented woman, beaten and raped, the rep. said that he was not worried about those implications.
“My thought is that if someone is here illegally, they should be afraid to come forward,” Mr. Fattman said. “If you do it the right way, you don’t have to be concerned about these things,” he said referring to obtaining legal immigration status.
A number of Republican state representatives in Massachusetts have been annoyed by Governor Deval Patrick’s decision not to join the federal Secure Communities program, but only Fattman has so far shown how ignorant he is on the issue. Salem News reports:
According to Fattman, “It’s time this administration side with taxpayers and public safety officials … instead of criminals who are also here illegally.”
If Fattman had done his research, he’d know that the Secure Communities program doesn’t work. The goal of the program has been to identify dangerous “criminal aliens;” however, so far, the program has mostly captured individuals without criminal records. By not spending state resources enforcing a program that is exceptionally flawed, Gov. Patrick is siding with taxpayers and public safety officials. In fact, a number of public safety officials have come out against the program. If Fattman’s concern for public safety officials or the safety of communities within his state was sincere, he’d know that the Secure Communities program is one to ditch.
But it’s clear that Fattman’s problem is not with “criminal illegal aliens” — just immigrants. He firmly believes all immigrants without papers should be deported — even children of immigrants who came with their parents to the U.S.
Fattman is just the latest GOP State Legislator to make outrageous statements. In March, Kansas State Rep. Virgil Peck’s (R), claimed that one viable solution to the “illegal” immigration problem was to shoot immigrants down like hogs. A month before that, Republican State Senator Scott Beason (AL), thought it appropriate to say it was time to “empty the clip” on immigration. That’s some pretty frightening rhetoric from elected officials, isn’t it?
