White House calls for sanctuary cities to cooperate with ICE, amid furor over illegal immigrant crimes
Sanctuary cities under scrutiny as illegal immigrants arrested for violent crimes across country
By Adam Shaw Fox News
Published February 28, 2024 4:31pm EST
The White House is calling for "sanctuary" cities and jurisdictions across the U.S. to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in turning over criminal illegal immigrants for deportation, just as there is renewed scrutiny over such policies in the wake of several high-profile crimes committed by illegal immigrants who had previously been released by local law enforcement despite pleas from ICE.
"We welcome local law enforcement’s support and cooperation in apprehending and removing individuals who pose a risk to national security or public safety," a White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Wednesday in response to a question about its stance on sanctuary cities. "When a local jurisdiction has information about an individual who could pose a threat to public safety, we want them to share that information with ICE."
"Just since May 12, DHS has removed or returned more than 565,000 individuals – the vast majority of whom crossed the Southwest Border. 565,000 removals and returns is more than every full fiscal year since 2013," they said.
Sanctuary cities either limit or outright forbid law enforcement from honoring ICE detainers – which are requests from the agency that ICE be notified ahead of their release from state custody and allowed to transfer illegal immigrant criminals into custody. This week it was revealed by ICE that the alleged killer of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley was previously arrested in NYC, but that he was released before ICE could issue a detainer.
Separately, there have been other alleged crimes committed by illegal immigrants, including an arrest in connection to the murder of a 2-year-old in Maryland, who had detainers lodged against them but were not honored by authorities. ICE announced this week the arrest and conviction of a Guatemalan illegal immigrant for the sexual assault of a child in Boston. He has been released despite ICE lodging a detainer against him.
Biden will travel to the southern border in Brownsville, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley on Thursday. He will meet with Border Patrol, law enforcement and local leaders. The White House said he will renew his calls for Congress to pass a bipartisan border agreement, which would have increased staffing to the border as well as tightening asylum rules and increasing funding to communities and NGO’s receiving migrants.
more
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-calls-for-sanctuary-cities-to-cooperate-with-ice-amid-furor-over-illegal-immigrant-crimes
