Barbara Simpson examines states choosing to ignore law, create sanctuary cities

Published: 6 hours ago

It’s spreading like the plague – the idea that local police jurisdictions can and should defy any requests or orders from the feds concerning illegal aliens in our midst and that sanctuary cities are the way to go.

The sheriff of Illinois’ Cook County, Tom Dart, says he has “no interest” in cooperating with the feds.

In California, cooperation from varied law enforcement jurisdictions is erratic and not consistent across the state, which puts local departments in a quandary.

In many locales, the sentiment to support sanctuary cities is strong. The City Council of Richmond, a small, low-income community in the San Francisco Bay Area, voted this week to support being a sanctuary city and to work to impeach President Trump.

Religious leaders in various denominations across the Bay Area have publically resolved to provide sanctuary for illegals requesting it. Cities as large as San Francisco to smaller locales in other counties statewide are on board with the idea that illegal aliens are deserving of protection.

The idea of refuge in churches is spreading nationally – from California and Colorado to Illinois to Indiana to the East Coast. They believe they are doing God’s work.

It’s not surprising that the movement is getting major media attention because it fits the template of looking at these people as innocents, rather than people who have chosen to break our laws and take advantage of our system.

What’s interesting is that they ignore the results of a new Harvard-Harris poll. According to the results, 80 percent of Americans are against sanctuary cities. What’s even more interesting is the breakdown of the people polled: 39 percent Democrats, 30 percent Republicans, 25 percent independents and 5 percent other.

Hmmm.

While decisions and actions like these are getting the headlines, another reaction by law enforcement people is almost ignored.

Almost, but not quite.

Louisiana Sheriff Greg Champagne told Neal Cavuto’s Fox News audience that it’s “appalling for a governor to tell his people not to cooperate with the federal government.”

He said the outrage is about President Trump “… about the messenger and not the message.” He said, “The Obama administration deported 2.5 million illegal aliens during his last term – and you didn’t see the coverage – or the gnashing of teeth you see now.”

Border sheriffs met in Arizona to address the issue of law enforcement there. Their main frustration is with the lack of support from Washington. Danny Glick, president of the National Sheriff’s Association, spoke of the silence from Washington about attacks on law officers, saying bluntly, “We are under assault.”

Aside from the theme that Washington hasn’t been there to help law enforcement, the main complaint was the lack of attention to the strength of the drug cartels and the dangers they present to individual citizens as well as communities.

Another meeting with Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and including border sheriffs from Yuma, Cochise, Santa Cruz, and Pima Counties emphasized the same issues. There was a call for a wall and other increased security.

There was no sense a wall would solve everything but that it’s needed along with additional funding from Washington to help with the increased costs local jurisdictions are facing for security.

They also asked for the Trump administration to restore the program that allowed immigration judges to criminally charge illegals in groups rather than individually.

In another report on Fox, Sheriff Grady Judd of Polk County Florida said the issue of illegal immigrants committing felonies is at an “epidemic level across the United States … They’re committing violent felonies, and they’re trafficking in narcotics. And if that’s not enough, we deport them, they come back and pick up doing the same thing again.”

The residents of Phoenix must be suffering from whiplash. The city just turned down a plan to become a sanctuary city, using the state’s immigration law, SB1070, which bans safe havens to illegal aliens.

But, at the same time, newly elected Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone is releasing some 400 “criminal illegal immigrants” every 10 days.

According to Judicial Watch, many of them are violent offenders, but Penzone wants to protect illegals whom he considers “guests.”

ICE considers the change in policy an “immediate, dangerous change.” According to one federal officer, “It’s as bad as it gets.”

Talk about being schizophrenic, Phoenix just elected Penzone as sheriff, throwing tough sheriff Joe Arpaio out of office.

What Washington and President Trump will do about this remains to be seen. His tough position on illegal immigration helped him into office. He made promises, and now it remains to be seen when something will be done.

Illegals are organizing, demanding what they call their “rights.”

Unfortunately, they are not U.S. citizens, and they are not here legally, so those “rights” are more than debatable.

But underlying all of this, and what is quite astounding, is the attitude that law enforcement can pick and choose what laws they will enforce and those they will ignore.

It’s a recipe for anarchy, and we’re on that road unless we do something about it. One way is to vote the bums out – as we just did in Washington. I will guarantee you one thing: Once a person is the victim of a crime by an illegal alien, the warmth and welcome will quickly disappear. Just talk to some families whose loved ones were attacked, raped and/or murdered by illegals.

Their experience is conveniently ignored by the majority of media, which is a disgrace.

OK, Washington. Your move.

http://www.wnd.com/2017/02/what-bord...hy-sweeps-u-s/