Thread: Senators Tell DHS To Stop Ignoring Illegal Alien Sanctuaries

Senators Tell DHS To Stop Ignoring Illegal Alien Sanctuaries

Last Updated: Fri, 11/04/2011 - 12:22pm

While the Justice Department focuses on taking action against state laws to combat illegal immigration, a group of U.S. Senators is asking the Obama Administration to stop ignoring local ordinances that undermine federal laws by offering undocumented aliens sanctuary.

In battling local immigration control measures nationwide, the DOJ has claimed that they conflict with federal immigration law and undermine the government’s careful balance of immigration enforcement priorities and objectives. The Obama Administration has made this argument recently in cases against Arizona and Alabama.

But what is the administration doing about local governments that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities and blatantly ignore the legal status of arrested individuals? A group of Senate Judiciary Committee members posed the question to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano this week.

They specifically mentioned Cook County Illinois where local authorities openly flip the finger at the feds by refusing to report illegal immigrants who come in contact with police, even dangerous criminals. In fact, in 2007 Judicial Watch took legal action against the Chicago Police Department—which has a don’t-ask-don’t-tell immigration policy—after learning of an illegal immigrant sanctuary resolution that was being considered by Cook County’s Board of Commissioners at the time.

In a letter to Napolitano this week, the Judiciary Committee members—senators Chuck Grassley (Iowa), John Cornyn (Texas), Tom Coburn (Oklahoma) and Jeff Sessions (Alabama)—cite a recent meeting with a high-ranking Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official who confirmed that Cook County creates a major problem for enforcement efforts. In fact, the ICE associate director of removal operations said Cook County’s egregious example of sanctuary city policies presents “an accident waiting to happen.â€

Added to Homepage--

http://www.alipac.us/article-6740--0-0.html

Chicago Daily Herald

November 5, 2011 Saturday

Senators target county policy on immigrants

By Kimberly Pohl


A recent Cook County ordinance allowing the release of suspected illegal immigrants is being called a "serious threat to the public's safety" by a group of U.S. senators.

Four Republican members of the U.S. Senate Judicial Committee led by Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa this week in a letter urged Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to take a direct role in compelling Cook County to reverse its action.

Approved in September, the ordinance disregards federal detainer requests by freeing suspected illegal immigrants charged with a crime if they're able to make bail.

"Cook County's ordinance is a serious threat to the public's safety that requires your immediate and personal attention," the letter states. "This is too important of an issue to go unresolved, and as a matter of national security, we urge you to take control of the situation so that detainers are not ignored and undocumented individuals are properly detained and put in deportation proceedings."

Joining Grassley in sending the letter were Sens. John Cornyn of Texas, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Jeff Sessions of Alabama. Grassley spokeswoman Beth Levine said he's yet to receive a response, which isn't unusual. No Democrats on the Judicial Committee, whose members include Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, were approached about signing.

When the local ordinance was brought up at an Oct. 19 committee hearing, Napolitano said she hadn't communicated with Cook County officials about the issue, nor had she discussed with the U.S. Justice Department how it will handle local jurisdictions such as Cook County that "harbor undocumented individuals."

The senators wrote that Gary Mead, executive associate director of enforcement and removal operations at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said Cook County presents a major problem for immigration enforcement efforts. Mead went on to say that Cook County is the most egregious example of sanctuary city policies and that the situation is "an accident waiting to happen."

One person who believes such an accident already took place is Hanover Park Mayor Rod Craig, who blasted the county ordinance after three suspected illegal immigrants accused of assaulting two of his village's police officers were released back into the community rather than being detained by Cook County officials until they could be turned over to ICE.

He said he's most concerned that individuals charged with serious felonies, even first-degree murder, can go free.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle wrote a letter to Craig defending the ordinance, saying that while she shared his concerns about police officer safety, the law saves money and keeps families together.

Preckwinkle spokesman Owen Kilmer said Friday that Cook County has received an opinion from State's Attorney Anita Alvarez that it was a legal course of action.

http://www6.lexisnexis.com

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle wrote a letter to Craig defending the ordinance, saying that while she shared his concerns about police officer safety, the law saves money and keeps families together.

No concern for American families who are separated due to the violent acts of illegals.

Originally Posted by ReggieMay

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle wrote a letter to Craig defending the ordinance, saying that while she shared his concerns about police officer safety, the law saves money and keeps families together.

No concern for American families who are separated due to the violent acts of illegals.

Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

Better to sacrifice the lives of a few Americans in order to accommodate the many needy Mexicans. If you disagree you're obviously a racist.

Whoa... it's way to early on a Sunday morning for my sarcasm to be kicking in that hard.