There’s a powerhouse op-ed in the Syracuse Post-Standard this morning by NYCLU Central New York Chapter Director Barrie Gewanter, Syracuse attorney José Perez and Aly Wane of the Alliance of Communities Transforming Syracuse.

That Syracuse triple-threat takes oft-repeated myths about immigrants and immigration reform and knocks ‘em down one by one with cold hard facts.

Here’s a taste:

• Instituting a path to legalization for immigrant workers would strengthen the national economy. The President’s Council of Economic Advisers maintains that immigrant workers increase consumer demand, fuel new businesses and spur job growth. Even the Cato Institute, a conservative think tank, recently found that a legalization program would boost U.S. household incomes by $180 billion.
• The U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform has found lower crime levels among people who are foreign-born than those born in the United States. Yet, current immigration laws force immigrants into the shadows where they are reluctant to report crime or provide information to police out of fear that they or their loved ones will be deported. The Major Cities Chiefs Association, an organization composed of the chiefs of the 63 largest police departments in the United States and Canada, argues that using local and state police to enforce federal immigration laws weakens public safety.

Check the full piece on the Post-Standard website here.