A Pro-Immigrant Local Ordinance

While we have focused on the anti-immigrant local ordinances, here is a good one from tiny Jenks, Oklahoma.  Recall also that some cities have “sanctuary” ordinances, such as San Francisco, that bar city officials from inquiring into the immigration status of any residents.

Illegal immigration is an increasing problem across the country, but it needs to be addressed by the federal government rather than by local governments, a resolution adopted Monday by the Jenks City Council asserts. City Attorney Stephen Oakley described as mean-spirited and potentially discriminatory the immigration policies of some other cities, in which they become involved with monitoring the citizenship of renters and other measures. “That’s going a little too far,” Oakley said. “That’s not the path we want to take.” Jenks requires potential city employees to show proof of citizenship and requires contractors to certify that they are complying with local, state and federal laws, he said. Jenks police notify federal immigration officials when they suspect that someone is in the country illegally. But City Manager Randy Ewing said city officials don’t know what happens from that point on. “It’s their responsibility to follow up,” he said. “It’s not a responsibility of local government.”

The resolution states that “local personnel, such as police officers, fire inspectors, educators, health personnel and social service personnel, should not be conscripted into federal service because the federal government has not adequately funded and staffed its immigration enforcement agencies.” Ewing said after the meeting that councilors adopted the measure so they would have a policy in place in anticipation of immigration-reform groups approaching them about passing local measures. Ewing said the resolution the council adopted is the same as one recently passed by Broken Arrow.

KJ