Follow this link to the editorial on the McClatchy News web site.  Finally a balanced approach to the issue. I do not claim that the quotes below that I have selected are completely balanced.  For that, you have to read the whole article.

But while the situation in Arizona is dire in some respects, it’s actually improving, not getting worse. For example, the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics notes that violent crimes in the state fell from 512 per 100,000 people in 2005 to 447 per 100,000 people in 2008, the last year data was compiled.

And, despite the clamor about dangerous immigrants, crime rates are lowest in states with the highest immigration growth rates — such as Arizona. Crime in the 19 states with the highest immigrant populations dropped by 13.6 percent from 1994 to 2004, compared to 7.1 percent for the other 32 states.

Finally, although the U.S. illegal immigrant population doubled to about 12 million from 1994 to 2004, the violent crime rate nationwide declined by 35.1 percent while the property crime rate fell by 25 percent. So, more illegal immigrants does not equate to more crime.

By the way, it is well known to Sturbridge residents that I-84 is a major drug trafficking route.  Should we put up a fence between Massachusetts and Connecticut?  Maybe the police ought to be empowered to find out if people are legal Massachusetts residents or bonafide tourists traveling on I-84.  Or would it be enough to just check them at the Mass Pike toll booths?