Number of Sanctuary Cities Rise as Immigration Laws Go Unenforced

Jessica Vaughan, the Center for Immigration Studies’ director of policy studies and the author of the report, said she was surprised by the “sheer number” of criminal offenders who are continuing to be released because of sanctuary policies.

In the recorded address, he tells Kate Steinle’s story.

The Center for Immigration Studies, a nonprofit organization that advocates for decreased immigration, reported that local authorities acting in these sanctuary cities released more than 9,000 illegal immigrants whom the government was seeking to deport a year ago.

Steinle’s death also has been the catalyst for a U.S. House of Representatives bill that passed in July cracking down on sanctuary cities.

The protections vary across the US, but they generally bar local law enforcement from asking federal authorities the immigration status of criminal suspects, allowing those localities to sidestep ICE demands. The man charged with her murder had been deported five times and had seven prior felony convictions. ice, which had asked to be notified of his release, was never informed. San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi has said his office followed the city’s policies.

Toomey said the GOP-led Senate will vote on the anti-sanctuary cities bill, which he is co-sponsoring with Sen.

The focus on sanctuary cities in the halls of Congress has come in response to the national uproar over the July murder of Kathryn Steinle, allegedly by a multiple deportee illegal immigrant with a lengthy rap sheet.

In 1996, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act was passed. “And I don’t for a minute suggest that most immigrants commit crimes”, he said. The vast majority of legal immigrants are great additions to America, and we should welcome them.

A few city, county and state officials complained that the program was being abused by ICE to round up people arrested for non-violent, minor crimes.

Those who support sanctuary cities say Steinle’s death should be a reason to review, not do away with, sanctuary cities. Illegal immigrants are more likely to work with law enforcement if they are not afraid of deportation as a result.

Kowall filed a bill that would prohibit any government agency in the state from enacting sanctuary policies.

In a short videotaped speech, Mr. Toomey stumped for legislation that would penalize municipalities that forbid local police from helping to enforce federal rules for dealing with undocumented immigrants. When you allow cities to undermine federal immigration law, you create a scenario… that can create chaos and anarchy, because who’s to say what laws should be enforced?

Immigrants make their way to Mexico as they cross the Gateway to the Americas worldwide Bridge at the U.S.-Mexico border near Laredo, Texas.

This should be a bipartisan effort.

The Senate will vote on this legislation Tuesday. President Obama’s own Secretary of Homeland Security has declared that sanctuary cities are, quote, “not acceptable” and ‘counter-productive to public safety.’ After all, we’re talking about criminals who the Obama Administration already has deemed risky enough to deserve removal from our country. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), said in the Republican weekly address on Saturday that the Stop Sanctuary Policies Act would “addresses the bad problem of “sanctuary cities” and “help make our communities safer”. Thank you for listening.