As Donald Trump delivers a strictly anti-immigration message towards the GOP presidential polls, the immigration debate is being opened by the House Republicans with legislation that would crack down on what are being called “sanctuary cities,” the hundreds of localities that give safe harbor to undocumented immigrants.
It’s the first sign that the uproar that was started by Trump — after the shooting death of a woman allegedly committed by an undocumented immigrant is having a ripple effect. And Democrats are taking the opportunity to try and brand the GOP as in the thrall of the real estate mogul — calling the sanctuary cities bill passed by the House Thursday as the “Donald Trump Act.”
Unmoved, Republicans pressed forward on legislation that would block funding for sanctuary cities as an opening move in a broader immigration fight. GOP leaders have promised the rank-and-file that more enforcement legislation is coming, though they haven’t mentioned specific bills.
Although immigration reform was resisted by the House Republicans for the last two years, House Republicans are responding to the national outcry over sanctuary cities after the shooting death of the woman in San Francisco — allegedly at the hands of an immigrant here illegally who was released by local authorities, even though he was asked to be detained. Trump’s surge, they say, is an example of the same wave of public concern.
The Republicans from Congress continued to turn the spotlight on illegal immigration this week, as the House passed a bill that would now punish sanctuary cities for withholding federal funds.
Sanctuary cities are cities in the United States that have taken a stand not to disclose to Immigration and Customs Enforcement or other federal officials and agencies when illegal immigrants are released from their custody. This measure is what critics say added to the reasons why a woman was killed in the city of San Francisco (a sanctuary city) and others. The relatives of the deceased had testified before Congress this week.
The vote received a lopsided 241-179, with only about a few dozen members of each party crossing the side.
It was pledged by President Obama recently to veto the bill, which is opposed by the Major County Sheriffs’ Association and the Fraternal Order of Police.
The vote is a part of the continuing week of messaging by the Republicans on immigration and sanctuary cities. Recently an emotional briefing was heard from the relatives of those killed or alleged to be killed by undocumented immigrants at the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Earlier this week one of the fathers whose daughter was killed recently testified. While he supported legislation to “take these undocumented immigrant felons off our streets for good,” he also suggested the idea of differentiating between types of felonies when dealing with criminal aliens.
The Obama government is putting in new immigration enforcement programs in place. In this scenario the vast number of illegal immigrants, around 87 per cent would fall under a “degree of protection” to reside in the United States, according to a report. The immigrants would not be a focus of deportation operations.
It was found in the report that around 13 per cent of the estimated 11 million immigrants who were without papers – that is around 1.4 million individuals have criminal backgrounds and have strayed into the country illegally, they are priority for getting deported back under the guidelines which the administration announced in the month of November and put into effect in the month of July recently.
The new program which has been introduced is expected to result in a drop in the overall deportations from the country by as much as 25,000 a year, the report states.
The local and federal immigration policies and procedures came under intense scrutiny after a woman was killed this month in the city of San Francisco by an immigrant from Mexico.He had a long record of felonies and convictions. He was released in the sanctuary city by the sheriff without the federal officials being notified.
Senators are now working towards bills that will compel more coordination and cooperation between local authorities and federal agencies, it was reported.
The U S government’s efforts at planning to deport a 1-year old boy from Honduras has been put on the back burner, according to a report. The mother of the little child, who is a teenager herself has been allowed to stay back in the country and apply for permanent residence.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials had earlier strived to deport the little boy ever since he arrived in the U S last year with his 17-year old mother. Both mother and son were part of a huge group that was trying to come from Central America and cross into the U S border.
It was reported last week that the ICE officers decided to keep the deportation on hold, this was stated by the little boy’s lawyer, who said that the toddler would be allowed to apply for permanent residence in a few more years.
“I am very happy that the government decided not to waste their resources prosecuting, pursuing a 1-year-old baby,” said the boy’s lawyer. “This should have been a non-issue.”
Although the officials have not ceased with the case entirely it is no longer active in the immigration court.
The decision to drop the deportation bid came within two weeks of a newspaper publishing the story about the boy and his mother.
