( CNN ) -- Members of the law enforcement community must sound their voices in support of comprehensive immigration reform for the sake of public safety and for the sake of our country . I write this as a former police chief in Mesa , Arizona , who now serves as the district attorney of San Francisco . I am an immigrant who came to the United States from Cuba at age 13 , as my family sought democracy and freedom . I cherish the history and values of our nation and hope that Congress , as it debates immigration reform , will courageously embody the best of our country , enact a humane solution to bring 11 million unauthorized immigrants out of the shadows and fully integrate them into American society . In the absence of federal action , states have taken immigration law into their own hands , implementing laws that drive a wedge between law enforcement and the people we are sworn to serve . A new study commissioned by Policy Link found that 45 % of Latinos in Chicago 's Cook County , Houston 's Harris County , Los Angeles and Phoenix 's Maricopa County were less likely to report crime because they fear police will inquire about their immigration status . More disturbing is that 70 % of undocumented immigrants surveyed reported they are less likely to contact police if they are victims of crime . When immigrants -- unauthorized or authorized - feel isolated from the protection of law enforcement , the entire community suffers . I saw this evidenced during my tenure as police chief in Mesa , Arizona , where local Sheriff Joe Arpaio 's reign of terror over the Latino community led to increased crime rates in his county . Arpaio blamed most crimes in Maricopa Country on undocumented immigrants and made racial profiling a common practice . He frequently detained people who `` looked Latino '' until they could prove their status in the country . In direct contrast to this approach , I worked side by side with community groups and civil rights organizations to foster a sense of trust between the Latino community and the Mesa Police Department . The effects of a broken immigration system were a constant thread in the stories of Latino mothers , fathers and workers who refused to report crime for fear of being detained or deported . In Mesa , we lowered crime by some 30 % , according to FBI data -- a result of the trust our police department created with all communities , and not because of immigration enforcement . Law enforcement should focus on community safety , not enforcing immigration laws . That is not just my opinion , but that of the U.S. Supreme Court , which ruled against Arizona 's SB1070 , and of many police officers and law enforcement officials around the country . When undocumented immigrants live in the shadows , they become wary of law enforcement , crimes go unreported , perpetrators remain on the loose , and the safety of our communities is affected . Anti-immigrant forces have long scapegoated undocumented immigrants as the reason for higher crime rates and the need for greater border security . We in law enforcement must come together and inform our senators that immigrants are a valuable part of our communities . Research shows that areas with a high immigrant population often have much lower rates of crime than similar areas without high immigrant representation . Our borders are also more secure than they have ever been , with the United States already spending more than $ 17 billion annually on immigration and border enforcement . While it is important to control access to our nation and keep track of those who visit or come to work , establishing complete border security should not hold hostage the rest of the needed changes : Immigration reform means both border security and a sensible path to citizenship for aspiring Americans , instead of a narrow focus on just enforcement . As the immigration bill moves through Congress , the law enforcement community must lend its voice to demanding real comprehensive reform of our immigration system . We must rally around the most important aspect of the legislation -- an honest pathway to citizenship , not one filled with landmines , for the majority of aspiring Americans who already contribute to our economy and our communities . The time is now . Passing comprehensive immigration reform will make our communities safer and make our country stronger . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of George Gascón .
George Gascon : Law enforcement should lend support to immigration reform . He says immigrants less likely to report if they are victims of crimes if they fear police . When he was top cop in Mesa , Arizona , he built trust with immigrants ; crime rate fell . Gascon : I think we need a comprehensive approach that includes the deportation of illegal aliens who have committed serious crimes.