NEW YORK, NY – Sanctuary cities serve to protect those illegally here from proper legal action and perhaps in some cases deportation. The reasons for the left to endorse these so-called sanctuaries may be twofold. First, if allowed to stay, they are potential Democratic voters. Second, they are cheap labor for businesses and corporate America. Our most poor and vulnerable black and Latino brothers and sisters, legal citizens, desperately need those jobs. More to the point, we do not know anything about the so-called undocumented which could be sex traffickers or criminals. They are unknown, unvetted persons and we cannot allow these unknown free rein in our society, as Governor Cuomo did in issuing them licenses to go about as they please. Their presence is a risk to us all and, most important, their status is illegal, and far from deserving protection from prosecution. They have no right to be here; no right to work here; no right to medical care; no right to employment; and no right to our educational system, all of which should be reserved for our citizens who pay their taxes and obey the law.
The President has put in place two initiatives to address this problem. One, the federal court has withdrawn law enforcement grants to force states to cooperate with immigration law enforcement. This is certainly a correct measure given the facts and analysis I have just provided. Protecting illegality in the face and justification of cheap labor and a powerful voting bloc cannot withstand the truth of legal scrutiny. Second, the President is sending tactical units to sanctuary cities. The American Civil Liberties Union says this policy will put lives at risk, and one New Jersey immigrant support group says that weapons of war will be deployed in communities. One legislator in Boston described the move as having nothing to do with public safety but furthers the Trump agenda to intimidate and retaliate against the dignity and humanity of our immigrant neighbors.
These comments and arguments are bogus. These are not immigrants but persons who have chosen the path of illegality and there is no legal justification to defend their continued presence and to paint the President’s action as an attack and war on immigrant communities is a cover for the truth that the President is obligated to enforce our laws and his doing so does not make him some sort of sadist and evildoer.
Let us take a look at two lives lost because of the policy and protection provided by sanctuary cities. Maria Fuentes was murdered by Reeza Khan, released despite an ICE detainer on to the streets to rape and kill. In the same way, an illegal immigrant was released under Chicago’s sanctuary city policy only to sexually assault a 3 year old girl. Christopher Puentes, a Mexican national, was only in Chicago because the Chicago police refused to hold him for US immigration and customs enforcement officials after he was arrested for theft. Sanctuary cities and the policies supporting them and their faulty reasoning caused these tragedies.
Finally, let’s have a closer look at the President’s ‘remain in Mexico’ policy for migrants to have their asylum cases decided more quickly and efficiently. Asylum-seekers were previously allowed to remain in the US pending the outcome of their cases which, take years to resolve. The ninth circuit court of appeals invalidated the rule and policy I say this: to allow these migrants to stay in the us for years virtually permits them to acquire a foot hold to stay and in fact permits them to obtain some sort of illegal form of citizenship despite being in defiance of the law. In short, they can and do, given the length of this process, skip the jurisdiction of the court and walk and float about in our country undetected and unseen. The President in this policy, which will be appealed, I think is right. The case is decided quickly and efficiently, serving to prevent flight and, so to speak, skipping town somewhere and anywhere in this huge country.
I do not lack compassion or love but am of the view that our legal system and the legal process should be respected. I know as Jesus gave his life for all humanity and all immigrants; but I do believe that we should consider and favor those who obey the law. There are legal avenues to enter this country and they are fully available to all.
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