Sessions Takes Aim at ‘Dangerous’ Sanctuary Cities, Warns on Funding
(FoxNews.com) Attorney General Jeff Sessions fired a broadside at so-called “sanctuary cities” Monday, telling reporters local policies of noncooperation with immigration authorities are “dangerous” and will cost communities federal funding.
In the Trump administration’s most pointed warning yet, Sessions said federal law allows withholding of federal funding to sanctuary cities, and signaled that such measures will soon be taken. Sessions, who took the podium at White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer’s regular media briefing, warned of a pending crackdown by the administration.
“Such policies cannot continue,” he said. “They make our nation less safe by putting dangerous criminals back on the street.”
While not a technical term, “sanctuary cities” are communities that have refuse to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials after detaining illegal immigrants. By federal law, they are required to inform the feds when they have an illegal immigrant in custody, even if he or she has not been convicted of a crime.
Several big cities, including New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, as well as dozens and possibly hundreds of smaller counties, cities and towns, also refuse to notify ICE, which can then come and take custody of the illegal immigrant, possibly for deportation.
“LAPD has never participated in programs that deputise local law enforcement to act as immigration agents, and on my watch they never will,” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said last week.
Immediately after Sessions spoke, New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a staunch critic of Trump, said he will fight any efforts to defund sanctuary communities in the Empire State….
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