http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/sen...Jf9_r0.twitterSenate considers anti-sanctuary bill
BY ROBERT SWIFT, HARRISBURG BUREAU CHIEF
Published: November 30, 2015
HARRISBURG — A bill to take retaliatory action against towns that shelter illegal immigrants is moving through the state Senate.
This measure is similar to bills in Congress targeting “sanctuary” cities where local officials have taken action to protect illegal immigrants living there.
The issue has gained momentum since last summer’s killing of a San Francisco woman allegedly by an illegal immigrant from Mexico with a criminal record. He was released from local police custody despite a detention request from federal officials.
The bill approved recently by the Senate Local Government Committee would apply to towns that don’t honor detention requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement for persons of interest who local authorities arrest.
Sponsored by Sen. Rich Alloway, R-33, Chambersburg, the bill would prohibit towns from adopting ordinances at odds with federal immigration policy. Towns that don’t enforce federal policies in this area would not be eligible for state law enforcement grants and could be sued for negligence for releasing an individual on detainer who later commits another crime.
Several municipalities in Pennsylvania have said they won’t honor an immigration detention request, said Mr. Alloway.
Two senators from Northeast Pennsylvania on the panel voted opposite ways on the bill.
Sen. John Blake, D-22, Archbald, voted against the bill, citing several problems with it.
Mr. Blake said he’s concerned that the bill would create new legal liability problems for local municipalities. He said underlying problems exist with law enforcement because of the lack of a cohesive national immigration policy and poor job on the part of federal officials enforcing existing immigration rules.
Sen. John Yudichak, D-14, Plymouth Twp., voted for the bill, saying strong coordination is needed between federal, state and local law enforcement to fight crime.
“If a suspect is arrested for a crime, held in custody and a request is made by (ICE) to detain the incarcerated suspect, then local authorities should be encouraged to collaborate with their federal counterparts to ensure a potentially dangerous criminal is not turned back to the streets,” he said.
Mr. Yudichak said he has concerns about municipal liability issues, too, and hopes they are addressed when the bill moves to the Senate floor.
In Washington, the U.S. House approved a bill in July to make towns that don’t comply with federal immigration officials ineligible for certain federal law enforcement grants.
U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-11, Hazleton, voted for that bill, saying it’s a good first step to deal with the issue. The congressman said a bill targeting sanctuary cites with sanctions that he introduced in 2011 would take even stronger action.
