AUSTIN (WBAP/KLIF) — Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen says the rest of the country should follow Texas’ lead and ban so-called “sanctuary cities.”
That’s in spite of the fact that the law the state passed in order to do that, SB 4, is still being challenged in Federal court.
SB 4 gives local law enforcement the power to ask a person’s immigration status during routine interactions with police. Many parts of SB 4 are on hold while the appeals process works itself out.
Nielsen told a group of reporters that cities that pass legislation protecting illegal immigrants cause tension among groups that should work together.
“Instead of encouraging law enforcement to work together, as they do in support of many other federal laws, sanctuary cities try to pit state and local officers against federal agents,” she said. “And that is all at the expense of our communities.”
Nielsen says if communities try to circumvent federal immigration policies, the federal government will stop giving grant money to the city or municipality.
“It is quite simple to me,” she said. “If these sanctuary states and cities do not want to protect their citizens by upholding federal law, then they are not entitled to the federal government’s money.”
Nielsen said local law enforcement officials are often placed in danger under sanctuary city policies.
In addition to passing SB 4 state-wide, seven counties in Texas have signed Delegation of Immigration Authority Section 287(g) agreements. She said this allows state and local law enforcement officers help ICE agents in their jails.
Robyn Geske, KLIF/WBAP, Copyright © 2017
