I have no idea, although I vaguely remember ICE trying to start something like this in Chicago and failing. That's mentioned in the article.
It sounds like community policing initiatives, I can understand trying to change a culture to be less receptive to whatever the agencies have been set up to counter and I can understand that a sort of "mobilization" like this can be part of that culture change initiative but a lot of the time it smacks of cheapening whatever it is and hoping that people will take care of it all for free, on their own time, the problem with relying on volunteers is that you get volunteers, if that makes sense, and that's if you agree with whatever it is to begin with.
Breeding a culture which is hostile to rights, permits state salaried individuals to shirk their duties and act less accountably, I think that's a problem the world over at the minute, in almost any sphere besides immigration too.
Ultimately, whether its immigration or anything else, I think all this stuff amounts to "tinkering around the edges", the actions are hiding a "greater neglect", its not simply a "piece meal" approach or reflection of resources or whatever, that only accounts for part of it. People dont genuinely feel its an issue, or they are doing just enough to satisfy themselves or others that they can go on neglecting whatever it happens to be. Like the alcoholic who is sure to go to AA meetings but will definitely be in the bar the rest of the time. It is very definitely what politicians are doing, very definitely what the politicians or populists who dont believe in democracy or accountability in the first place are doing. I dont think that's "simple cynicism" to state that.
The issue of illegal immigration and displacements are about money, its a trade as reprehensible as the slave trade, which I think left wingers should be just as concerned about even if for very different reasons than the racists who just hate the sight of the people who're duped, coerced or otherwise caught up in the racket. I also wonder about the states from which all these individuals come, are they not suffering for the sudden exit happening? Are there any consequences for them if they know about it and do little or nothing to arrest it? Are they fine with the criminal elements organizing it all on their turf? Again its that issue of neglect, and they probably are getting kick backs, money or menaces play a part, but if there was state building attempted to counter drug harvesting, terrorist infestations or the like in the past why not something like that now? I know a lot of the bone heads are nationalists and cant see beyond their borders (often the end of their road, literally) or dont want to be bothered looking beyond that (again the neglect) but something should change about that.
www.theguardian.com
