Nevada has a chance to set an example for the nation

Monday, Jan. 2, 2017 | 2 a.m.

The 2016 election created anxiety among many Americans, but Nevadans have reason to be hopeful about state politics as 2017 gets underway.

With a moderate Republican governor and Democratic majorities in both chambers of the Legislature, Nevada is poised to stand its ground against a wave of anti-immigrant and anti-refugee sentiment that arose during the presidential campaign and is now rolling across several states.

Already, it’s clear that the divisive extremism of the nation’s president-elect and his cronies is rooting itself in some state capitals. In Montana, lawmakers have filed about a dozen bill requests related to refugees, immigration and terrorism, the Associated Press reported, even though the state had taken in only nine refugee families from January through early December 2016. And more such legislation is expected in other states.

“It’s pretty widely known that this is going to be a hard year for those of us who are seeing to protect the rights of refugees and immigrants,” said S.K. Rossi, advocacy and policy director for the ACLU of Montana, in the AP story.

It shouldn’t be a hard year for advocates in Nevada. Not even close.

When the 2017 legislative session begins in February, it’s crucial for state lawmakers to remember that Nevadans sent them a message with their ballots in 2016. Not only was Nevada among 20 states that sided with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, but voters restored the Democratic majorities in the Senate and Assembly after Republicans took control of them in 2014.

The upshot is that the majority of Nevadans indicated they were not in favor of mass deportations, bans on Muslim immigrants and so forth.

And no wonder, because ethnic diversity and our vibrant immigrant communities are a couple of Nevada’s key strengths. Not only have immigrants poured millions of dollars into our economy, they’ve enriched our state’s culture immeasurably. And contrary to campaign rhetoric, they aren’t prone to be criminals. In fact, while the immigrant population tripled in the U.S. from 1990 to 2013, violent crime dropped by nearly 50 percent overall. No surprise there, since immigrants are well aware that causing trouble increases the likelihood getting caught by authorities and deported.

As far as refugees go, it’s well worth remembering that those from countries such as Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq aren’t just waved through. They have to undergo an 18- to 24-month vetting period.

This year, Nevada lawmakers have an opportunity to become a beacon of moderacy in a nation where extremists are on the rise. It’s a worthy aspiration, as moderates hold a special place in the democratic process. They listen to both sides, try to sort out complicated issues that seem irreconcilable, then drive the process forward in an inclusive way. Anyone old enough to have watched Congress before the modern era of partisan extremism knows that historically, moderacy is where democracy thrives and progresses.

Nevadans have consistently supported responsible immigration reform and have made their desires clear through the ballot box. Other states may choose to be punitive and nonsensical, which is their prerogative, but in Nevada, we believe common sense and the Constitution should guide our actions.

Toward that end, voters here tried and failed to elect a president who reflected that view. But they succeeded in choosing state leaders who are expected to take a moderate approach in Carson City and hold strong against the creep of extremism.