Thread: Lawmakers seek ’sanctuary cities’ crackdown

Lawmakers seek 'sanctuary cities' crackdown

State and federal lawmakers are calling for tough action against "sanctuary cities," reflecting a backlash against communities that they say break the law and encourage illegal immigration.
At least three states are considering taking the path of Colorado, which adopted an anti-sanctuary law last year. It denies some funding to communities that prevent police and other municipal employees from cooperating with immigration authorities. Similar measures are pending in Michigan, New Jersey and Wisconsin.

Nationally, members of Congress are proposing federal legislation and presidential candidates are urging sanctions.

Local law enforcement officers come into contact with immigrants every day, says Michigan state Rep. Kim Meltzer, a Republican. "Why should they be restricted, have their hands tied?" she asks.

Her bill would forbid local governments from telling police and other government employees not to cooperate with federal authorities and would require police to report people they arrest who are suspected illegal immigrants.

In May, the Detroit City Council unanimously approved an ordinance that, among other things, forbids city officials from asking the immigration status of people not suspected of crimes.

Council President Ken Cockrel Jr. says the city has a growing Hispanic immigrant population and is home to large Middle Eastern communities. Local police should focus on protecting them, he says, not enforcing immigration law, which is a federal responsibility.

"I want Detroit police officers out there catching people who are stealing cars and mugging old ladies, not asking people for their passports," he says.

Detroit's ordinance is among at least 82 policies nationwide that limit the enforcement of immigration laws by state and local authorities, according to the National Immigration Law Center. The policies promote public safety by making immigrants more willing to cooperate with police and other officials, says the group's Joan Friedland.

"If people fear the police at every turn, that undermines community policing, which undermines community safety," she says.

Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson are among Republican presidential candidates who counter that sanctuary policies encourage law-breaking by shielding illegal immigrants. They propose that some federal funding be denied to cities that have them.

Florida Republican Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite has introduced one of the anti-sanctuary measures in Congress. Her bill would revoke some Homeland Security funds from sanctuary cities.

"The public is speaking loud and clear that they don't want … their elected officials allowing illegals to move into the area and use services from the area," she says.

In Wisconsin, Republican state Sen. Glenn Grothman plans to introduce a measure next week that forbids cities and counties from adopting sanctuary policies.

New Jersey state Sen. Nicholas Asselta, a Republican, says he'll introduce a measure next month.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/200 ... uary_N.htm

About twenty years to late but better late than never. These cities should not be receiving any tax payer dollars or federal aid in the crime problems. They have done it to themselves.

"The public is speaking loud and clear that they don't want … their elected officials allowing illegals to move into the area and use services from the area," she says.

And she's right. Now if we could get the rest of the boneheads to hear us we'd get somewhere.

Welcome news. It looks like we're getting some traction.

Related Article

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-82663-meltzer.html