The Danger of Sanctuary Cities
Given the recent discovery of terrorist activity in New York City (yet again and after the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the Word Trade Center towers), you would think that leaders of "sanctuary cities" (regions where non-documented residents are free to roam without fear of arrest) would consider shutting down OR that the Federal government would consider revoking sanctuary city status or enforce ban of Federal funds to those areas. Contacting my own representatives (in New York State), no such luck. I contacted the D.C. office for Rep. Yvette Clarke from the 11th Dist. (which covers NYC) and her staff member simply stated that he didn't know but would look into it. Big fat zero all around.
The rule with sanctuary cities is that authorities in these cities shall NOT arrest nor book persons for violation of Title 8, Sec. 1325 of U.S. Immigration Code (Illegal Entry).[a] The following sanctuary cities BAN their city employees and police officers from asking people about their immigration status:
Washington, D.C.
New York City
Los Angeles (the first sanctuary city - since 1979)
Chicago
San Francisco
Santa Ana
San Diego
Salt Lake City
Phoenix
Dallas
Houston
Austin
Detroit
Jersey City
Minneapolis
Miami
Denver
Baltimore
Seattle
Portland, Oregon
New Haven
Portland, Maine
In 2003, the House Judiciary Committee (with the Sub Committee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims) examined New York's sanctuary city policy and the effect of such policies on public safety, law enforcement, and immigration.[b] Their final conclusion? In a statement delivered by Rep. John Conyers (D - Michigan), the same man who called off an investigation of ACORN based on orders from "the powers that be", the committee concluded:
In addition, requiring local police officers and government officials to report individuals to the INS creates a host of other problems. It encourages racial and ethnic profiling and could subject citizens and other law-abiding individuals to hostility and unwarranted detention or questioning. It gives local officials immense power to coerce, bribe or otherwise victimize immigrants as some renegade Los Angeles police did in the Rampart scandal several years ago. It would destroy good relationships that have been painstakingly developed with immigrant communities-relationships that could prove crucial in uncovering real terrorist or criminal threats. And it would misdirect INS resources towards checking on millions of people who would be reported at a time when they are already overwhelmed with information management problems.
How about abiding by the laws of our nation? According to Sec. 642(a) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA)[c]:
Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal, State, or local law, a Federal, State, or local government entity or official may not prohibit or in any way restrict any government entity or official from sending to or receiving from the Immigration and Naturalization Service information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual.
In other words, these cities are breaking the law by banning their city employees and police officers from reporting non-documented residents and THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ISN'T DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT!
In my opinion, leaders of ALL sanctuary cities need to be served with warrants for their arrest by the Federal government and any and all funding needs to be cut off from these cities. That includes state funding. Let them find their own way to fund their cities until they pass legislation on a local level revoking sanctuary city status. After that, Federal legislation needs to be passed to stop ANY sanctuary city from being formed again.
I encourage everyone to contact their state and local legislators, specifically citing Sec. 642(a) of the IIRIRA in contacting them. And if you have to, READ IT TO THEM, because my House Representatives staff member didn't even know what I was talking about!
The rule with sanctuary cities is that authorities in these cities shall NOT arrest nor book persons for violation of Title 8, Sec. 1325 of U.S. Immigration Code (Illegal Entry).[a] The following sanctuary cities BAN their city employees and police officers from asking people about their immigration status:
Washington, D.C.
New York City
Los Angeles (the first sanctuary city - since 1979)
Chicago
San Francisco
Santa Ana
San Diego
Salt Lake City
Phoenix
Dallas
Houston
Austin
Detroit
Jersey City
Minneapolis
Miami
Denver
Baltimore
Seattle
Portland, Oregon
New Haven
Portland, Maine
In 2003, the House Judiciary Committee (with the Sub Committee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims) examined New York's sanctuary city policy and the effect of such policies on public safety, law enforcement, and immigration.[b] Their final conclusion? In a statement delivered by Rep. John Conyers (D - Michigan), the same man who called off an investigation of ACORN based on orders from "the powers that be", the committee concluded:
In addition, requiring local police officers and government officials to report individuals to the INS creates a host of other problems. It encourages racial and ethnic profiling and could subject citizens and other law-abiding individuals to hostility and unwarranted detention or questioning. It gives local officials immense power to coerce, bribe or otherwise victimize immigrants as some renegade Los Angeles police did in the Rampart scandal several years ago. It would destroy good relationships that have been painstakingly developed with immigrant communities-relationships that could prove crucial in uncovering real terrorist or criminal threats. And it would misdirect INS resources towards checking on millions of people who would be reported at a time when they are already overwhelmed with information management problems.
How about abiding by the laws of our nation? According to Sec. 642(a) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA)[c]:
Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal, State, or local law, a Federal, State, or local government entity or official may not prohibit or in any way restrict any government entity or official from sending to or receiving from the Immigration and Naturalization Service information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual.
In other words, these cities are breaking the law by banning their city employees and police officers from reporting non-documented residents and THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ISN'T DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT!
In my opinion, leaders of ALL sanctuary cities need to be served with warrants for their arrest by the Federal government and any and all funding needs to be cut off from these cities. That includes state funding. Let them find their own way to fund their cities until they pass legislation on a local level revoking sanctuary city status. After that, Federal legislation needs to be passed to stop ANY sanctuary city from being formed again.
I encourage everyone to contact their state and local legislators, specifically citing Sec. 642(a) of the IIRIRA in contacting them. And if you have to, READ IT TO THEM, because my House Representatives staff member didn't even know what I was talking about!