Words can be powerful conduits for truth. But in politics, language can also serve to camouflage public harm under the gloss of an appealing label. Take, for example, the “Sanctuary City” movement. A host of cities have passed local rules under the guise of that attractive mantra, creating consequences that have been both lawless and ugly. Local Sanctuary Cities have refused to obey federal immigration laws and have turned a blind eye to lawful “detainer” requests from federal authorities. Those routine requests, provided-for under federal law, direct municipalities to hold illegal aliens who are in their custody for 48 hours while immigration officials consider deportation.
The rule of law and the lives of innocent American citizens have paid the price for the defiance of these cities. The list of these Sanctuary Cities includes San Francisco, New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Santa Clara, Minneapolis, and Houston – a list that continues to grow.
The question has been raised: isn’t this a matter of state’s rights, where cities and local authorities ought to have the last say on how to handle illegals? Hardly. While the 10th Amendment provides that states (and their cities) possess those powers “not delegated” to the federal government by the Constitution, it does not apply here: for the Constitution specifically vests in the federal Congress the power to regulate immigration. Further, President Trump has signed an Executive order telling these sanctuary cities that if they continue defying immigration law, he would cut-off federal funds. Considering that the Constitution directs the Executive Branch to execute and enforce federal law, that Executive order is no more remarkable than President Kennedy’s use of federal troops to enforce federal race discrimination law in the 1960’s.
By Craig Parshall5 hrs. ago
ACLJ.org
http://aclj.org/immigration/sanctuary-for-who-lawlessness-breeds-anarchy-not-compassion
