There is nothing more damaging to the cause of immigration reform than the insistence by some of treating criminals exactly the same as immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally but obey its laws. Unfortunately, however, this attitude persists in the era of Trump, even after his presidential campaign successfully reframed the immigration issue not just as a jobs issue but also as a crime issue.

In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti has created a new $10 million fund to help potential deportees get legal counsel. It’s a fine idea. But there is considerable rancor over the fact that convicted violent criminals, child abusers and human traffickers who face deportation are ineligible for help from the fund.