Law Ignored in Sanctuary Cities
Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, August 14, 2015 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler
More and more lawlessness is emerging in the United States. Recent events emphasize the horrible results of giving illegal aliens sanctuary, even to the point of shielding habitual criminal aliens from deportation. Unfortunately, it’s become common practice for cities, counties, communities and churches to protect illegals that, seemingly, cross into and out of the United States at will and easily find sanctuary – shelter, provision, and protection from deportation – even if they commit crimes, ranging from misdemeanors to murder.
“Sanctuary cities” is the term for cities, counties, or states that protect illegal aliens from deportation. Officials of such locales refuse to help federal agents identify and take into custody illegal aliens, including those that remain in the U.S. after their visa expires. The recent death of two women, who were murdered by illegal aliens sheltered in sanctuary cities, spotlighted the gravity of the situation.
On July 1st Kathryn Steinle was gunned-down as she and her dad walked side-by-side on the San Francisco pier. She was only 32 when she fell at her father’s side, looked up at him and said, “Help me, dad.” Those were her last words after being shot by an illegal alien criminal with seven felons on his rap sheet and five deportations from the United States. The sanctuary city of San Francisco had released him from jail, but ignored orders to notify federal officials that he was back on the street.In a July 7, 2015 five-page letter, Georgia Senator David Perdue and several other Senate Judiciary Committee members asked the Department of Homeland Security 13 questions about the current DHS program authorizing immigration officers and agents to ignore plain law and public safety.
The second paragraph of the Senate letter says: “Your Department has refused to confront so-called ‘sanctuary’ jurisdictions, endangering the public safety and leading to tragedies such as the recent killings of Kathryn Steinle in San Francisco, California, and Angelica Martinez in Laredo, Texas. These deaths are the result of such sanctuary jurisdictions’ dangerous policies, and this Administration’s refusal to do anything to stop them. …[Y]our Department has unilaterally designed a program that will endanger the American people.”
Do sanctuary cities give illegal aliens “selective legal immunity” status or do they get full immunity? If illegal aliens are in a sanctuary city, would ANY crime get them reported to ICE? The death of these two women cannot be un-done, but Kate Steinle’s father expects laws to be enforced so, “Kate’s death won’t be in vain.” It’ll be interesting to see what Congress does. For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.