Sanctuary city - "A sanctuary city is a city in the United States or Canada that has adopted a policy of protecting illegal immigrants by not prosecuting them solely for violating federal immigration laws in the country in which they are now illegally living." Wiki.
Chicago mayor Rahm ("Never let a good crisis go to waste") Emanuel has announced that his city, regardless of the change in administration in Washington, will continue to be...and always will be...a sanctuary city. As such, they will not assist with President-elect Trump's intention to deport undocumented who have arrest records. Locally, Denver and Aurora have followed suit.
Immigration reform has been examined here. If you decide to click on this link, please read the Karen Sorenson short story included. There is nothing easy about the situation in which we (as a nation) find ourselves.
A country has every right to regulate who enters and remains within their borders. Their laws also determine what happens when someone violates those laws. Simple?
Hardly. The Federal government (See, Arizona v. United States [2012]) has exclusive jurisdiction over immigration law, and the enforcement of same. Plainly, ICE doesn't need Mayor Emanuel's permission to enter Chicago and detain persons illegally within the United States. Nor do they need the good mayor's input on how priorities are arranged regarding who is at the front of the "knock-and-talk" line.
Additionally, federal agents have access to all of the same data bases local cops do. And then some. I've arrested people in the past, only to receive a call from our friends at the FBI - "Why are you contacting him?" before I'd gotten to the station.
Finally, the "Immigration reform" engaged in by the outgoing administration was done by executive order. Like it or not (I express no opinion here) the next president can take that shit, or leave it. Deporting citizens of other countries who are here in violation of immigration laws, and who have criminal histories (See, eg Kate Steinle's murder) is reasonable, rational and justifiable.
So... WTF?!
I know, right? Here's the thing. If there are three million individuals illegally in the US who have criminal histories, that means there are close to ten million living mostly under the radar. You know those folks working their asses off, paying taxes (and social security), raising their kids to be decent and hoping to be left alone? Guess what.
When someone assaults them, rapes them or steals from them, you know what they do?
Nothing. They suck it up because they are afraid to call the police. They are afraid of being deported by the officer who shows up to help them. They are easy prey to gang members, petty thieves and every other asshole looking to victimize vulnerable populations.
Getting into their communities is hard work. Gaining their trust takes years. It is painstaking, one individual at a time grunt-level law enforcement. Announcing a round up can screw up years of work.
Emanuel is a politician, playing a politician's game. His career doesn't matter to most cops.
The people we serve do.
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