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Sanctuary Cities

 

Although sanctuary policies are illegal under Federal law, two states (Maine and New Mexico) and a multitude of cities and counties maintain policies that forbid officials from asking about a person's immigration status or informing Federal immigration authorities about the presence of illegal aliens. These sanctuary policies may prevent police from inquiring about a person's immigration status during the course of routine duties, or from stopping or detaining a person solely due to immigration status. They may also prevent state public assistance agencies and institutions of higher education from inquiring about an applicant's immigration status in order to determine eligibility for public benefits. The resulting safe havens make it easier for illegal aliens, including criminal aliens, to live undetected in the United States.

About Sanctuary Policies

Although sanctuary policies violate Federal law, two states (Maine and New Mexico) and a multitude of cities and counties maintain such policies

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Sanctuary Laws

California public school flies Mexican flag over dishonored American flag.
View a listing of governments with sanctuary polices of in any of 30 states

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In the News

San Francisco at Crossroads Over Immigration

In the News - Saturday, June 13, 2009

In the debate over illegal immigration, San Francisco has proudly played the role of liberal enclave, a so-called sanctuary city where local officials have refused to cooperate with enforcement of federal immigration law and undocumented residents have mostly lived without fear of consequence.

But over the last year, buffeted by several high-profile crimes by illegal immigrants and revelations of mismanagement of the city’s sanctuary policy, San Francisco has become less like its self-image and more like many other cities in the United States: deeply conflicted over how to cope with the fallout of illegal immigration.

By Jesse McKinley -- New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/13/us/13sanctuary.html?_r=1&ref=us&pagewanted=print

House Passes Bill Prohibiting Immigrant Sanctuary Cities

In the News - Friday, June 5, 2009

A bill that aims to curb illegal immigration by prohibiting local governments from enacting “sanctuary” ordinances, or policies that make it difficult for law enforcement and other local government employees to comply with federal immigration law, was approved in the state House on Friday morning.

Chattanoogan.com

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_152642.asp

Oakland to offer identification cards for illegal immigrants

In the News - Friday, June 5, 2009

Two years after reaffirming Oakland's status as a "sanctuary city," the City Council voted this week to create identification cards for illegal immigrants.

The city's program will be modeled after a similar one in San Francisco, which started giving out cards to illegal immigrants earlier this year.

Council members said the cards will give illegal immigrants easier access to city and business services, improve their civic participation and encourage them to report crimes to police. City leaders also anticipate that the cards will prompt more illegal immigrants to open bank accounts rather than keeping their earnings in cash and becoming targets for robbers.

By Anna Gorman - Los Angeles Times

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-idcard5-2009jun05,0,1333636.story

Cities That Don't Enforce Immigration Laws Should Not Be Branded Sanctuary Cities, Kansas Police Chief Says

In the News - Thursday, May 21, 2009

Cities where the local authorities do not enforce U.S. immigration laws should not be branded as sanctuary cities because the federal government still has the ability to enforce the immigration laws there, says Topeka, Kan., Chief of Police Ronald Miller.

“There are no sanctuary cities in the United States, because federal immigration laws can be enforced in all of those cities,” said Miller. He spoke with CNSNews.com after a press conference to release a report by The Police Foundation critical of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ACCESS program that trains and deputizes local police officers to enforce federal immigration laws.

By Penny Starr - CNS News

http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=48441

Brutal rape blamed on city’s ID program

In the News - Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Opponents of the city’s immigrant-friendly policies said Tuesday that Mayor John DeStefano Jr. and supporters of the municipal ID card program have “blood on their hands” in the rape and beating of a woman by a suspect they believe is in the country illegally.

By William Kaempffer -- New Haven Register

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2009/04/01/news/new_haven/a1_--_immigrantcrime.txt

Tale of two sanctuary cities

In the News - Sunday, March 22, 2009

The two cities of El Paso and Denver are 800 miles apart, but they both exist in the rarified world of "sanctuary cities," where mayors and city officials love to proclaim, "We welcome all immigrants, regardless of immigration status." This is PC code for welcoming illegal aliens, but it also means they welcome the prosecution of Border Patrol agents and immigration enforcement agents who take their jobs too seriously.

By. Tom Tancredo -- Washington Post Commentary

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/mar/22/tale-of-two-sanctuary-cities/

Judge: San Francisco Can Issue ID Cards to Illegal Immigrants

In the News - Thursday, October 16, 2008

A lawsuit to block San Francisco from handing out municipal identification cards to anyone who has lived in the city for at least 15 days regardless of their immigration status was tossed out of court Tuesday.

http://www.kcbs.com/Judge--SF-Can-Issue-ID-Cards-to-Illegal-Immigrants/3142372

Illegals Hot Topic in Local Nevada Campaign

In the News - Friday, October 10, 2008

In a town that’s nearly 90 percent white, a Grass Valley City Council candidate still is making illegal immigration a campaign issue. Ed Yarborough this week has hung handmade fliers on doors with the warning “It could happen here.” The word “here” is underlined by hand in red ink.

http://www.theunion.com/article/20081009/NEWS/810099995/1066&parentprofile=-1&title=%E2%80%98It%20could%20happen%20here%E2%80%99

Family blames sanctuary policy in 3 slayings

In the News - Saturday, August 23, 2008

"San Francisco's immigrant sanctuary policies played a "substantial" role in the slayings of a father and two of his sons by allowing city officials to shield the alleged killer from deportation, despite his violent history, according to a legal claim filed Friday on behalf of the victims' family.

The claim is likely to be followed by a wrongful death lawsuit in which the family of Tony Bologna and his sons could seek millions of dollars from the city.

Bologna, 48, and his sons Michael, 20, and Matthew, 16, were shot to death on a street in the Excelsior district June 22. Edwin Ramos, 21, of El Sobrante, who authorities say is a member of a street gang, has been charged with three counts of murder...."

Jaxon Van Derbeken, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 August 2008

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/23/MNR812GPPE.DTL

Triple murder turns focus on S.F. sanctuary policy

In the News - Wednesday, July 23, 2008

"The scene repeats itself every day on city streets: A driver gets stuck bumper-to-bumper, blocking the intersection and another car's ability to complete a left turn. San Francisco authorities say that was enough to prompt Edwin Ramos to unload an AK47 assault weapon on a man and his two sons, killing all three. The murders immediately sparked public outrage, which only intensified when authorities revealed that Ramos, 21, is an illegal immigrant who had managed to avoid deportation despite previous brushes with the law...."

Paul Elias, AP, 23 July 2008

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9974463?nclick_check=1