San Francisco Supervisors Uphold Sanctuary City Policy

Indeed, the same day the Board reaffirmed its city’s sanctuary policy, Senate Republicans attempted to proceed to legislation targeting sanctuary cities and illegal immigrant criminals who illegally return to the U.S. Democrats, however, blocked the bill from getting to the floor for a final vote. David Vitter. It would have punished jurisdictions that prohibit the collection of immigration information or don’t cooperate with federal requests, blocking them from receiving certain grants and funds. He urged the bill’s passage from the Senate floor Tuesday as he stood beside a photo of Kate Steinle, the San Francisco woman whose death in July pushed sanctuary policies into the limelight.

Steinle was allegedly shot by Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, a Mexican immigrant who was in the US illegally, and eligible for priority deportation due to his lengthy criminal record.

Republicans say the bill is vital to keeping communities safe and stop cities from undermining federal immigration laws. Council members resisted a local and national outcry following the death of Kate Steinle, a California resident who suffered a gun wound and died while walking in a San Francisco tourist area in July.

President Barack Obama had threatened a veto, but that won’t be necessary because the bill fell six votes shy of the 60 needed to advance in the Senate.

LOU DOBBS: Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, business as usual, and the Senate Republican leadership permitting Senate Democrats to successfully filibuster Republican legislation that would have cracked down on sanctuary cities. The next time an undocumented immigrant with serious felony convictions is released by a sanctuary city and hurts an innocent victim, there will be no place for Democrats to hide.

San Francisco is among hundreds of so-called sanctuary cities that do not cooperate fully with federal immigration officials.

Roy Beck, director of NumbersUSA, which calls for limiting immigration, said it’s frightening that supervisors sided with illegal immigrants – even violent ones – rather than public safety. The contentious issue has been raised on the presidential campaign trail, with a few candidates attacking local officials who have objected to enforcing federal immigration law.

U.S. Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) said he’d like the Senate to consider the mandatory prison sentences again.

He said Lopez-Sanchez had no intent “to harm anyone”, citing evidence that found the bullet ricocheted off of pavement prior to striking Steinle.

The bill has become quite controversial, and many Democrats opposed to the legislation have dubbed it the “Donald Trump Bill” after Trump’s controversial public comments about immigration. He was the only Republican to vote against the measure.

Supervisor Malia Cohen stated, “We can not allow one event to dictate 25 years, 25 years of our city’s policies toward undocumented immigrants in our city”.

Menendez said the bill will not protect Americans because it “second-guesses” local law enforcement on how best to protect their communities.

Though a handful supported Vitter’s measure, organizations such as the Major Cities Chiefs Association and the Major County Sheriff’s Association did not, saying withholding federal funding would “further weaken” local law enforcement agencies.