The Trump Administration Continues to War with “Sanctuary Jurisdictions”
In a press release, Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the recent results of an enforcement operation in New York: “Officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested more than 80 during a 5-day period, ending Sep. 25, in New York City, the Hudson Valley and Long Island.” However, the release proceeds to level a veiled threat to “sanctuary jurisdictions,” which often have been criticized by President Trump and other high level officials of the administration:
“Any local jurisdiction thinking that refusing to cooperate with ICE will result in a decrease in local immigration enforcement is mistaken. Local jurisdictions that choose to not cooperate with ICE are likely to see an increase in ICE enforcement activity, as in jurisdictions that do not cooperate with ICE the agency has no choice but to conduct more at-large arrest operations. A consequence of ICE being forced to make more arrests on the streets is the agency is likely to encounter other unlawfully present foreign nationals that wouldn’t have been encountered had we been allowed to take custody of a criminal target within the confines of a local jail.” (emphasis added).
On the same day, ICE announced the results of another enforcvement operation in Boston. The press release includes similar language to that in the New York press release:
“In years past, most of these individuals would have been turned over to ICE by local authorities upon their release from jail based on ICE detainers. When non cooperative jurisdictions, including those within the six states of New England do not honor ICE detainers, these individuals, who often have significant criminal histories, are released onto the street, presenting a potential public safety threat.
Local jurisdictions that choose to not cooperate with ICE are likely to see an increase in ICE enforcement activity, as in jurisdictions that do not cooperate with ICE the agency has no choice but to conduct more at-large arrest operations. A consequence of ICE being forced to make more arrests on the streets is the agency is likely to encounter other unlawfully present foreign nationals that wouldn’t have been encountered had we been allowed to take custody of a criminal target within the confines of a local jail.
Ultimately, efforts by local politicians have shielded removable criminal aliens from immigration enforcement and created another magnet for more illegal immigration, all at the expense of the safety and security of the very people it purports to protect.” (emphasis added).
Similar language was not included in another ICE press release on the same day announcing the results of an ICE enforcement operation in North Texas and Oklahoma.
It was a very busy day for the ICE press office. Another release stated that “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Matthew T. Albence held a White House press briefing Thursday to explain how sanctuary policies threaten public safety and called on the public to hold their local lawmakers accountable. The briefing made clear that local jurisdictions across the U.S. that refuse to cooperate with ICE are complicit in the crimes committed by aliens who ICE could have otherwise been arrested and removed.” (emphasis added)
It appears that, despite court rulings limiting the administration’s efforts to “de-fund” sanctuary cities, the administration will continue to find ways to discipline those jurisdictions.
KJ