Immigration War Targeting the Safety of our Communities
In the wake of last week’s sanctuary city raids that has furthered divided America and sparked fear in communities all over the country. Donald trump and his administration have followed up on the president’s threat to use federal funds as a weapon against sanctuary cities.
In July of this year, following threats from the Trump administration and Departmetn of Justice, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced rules withholding money from cities that gun imposing civil immigration terms on the formula-based Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant created by Congress to fight crime, and the community Oriented Policing Services Grant, established to promote community-based policing. Essentially, the Federal Government is saying we will not help you keep your communities safer if you do not help us enforce Federal civil Immigration laws.
This is despite the fact that Federal Courts have held that it is unconstitutional for the Federal government to force state and local governments to implement Federal law. Imagine States that have legalized marijuana being forced to enforce Federal marijuana laws—it simply does not line up with the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees separation of powers. However, Trump and his xenophobic Attorney General are so caught up in their war on immigrants and promoting their anti-immigration agenda, that the U.S. Constitution and more importantly, the safety of our communities is thrown to the wayside.
Top Los Angeles immigration attorney Glenn Fogle weighs in on what he believes the new terms mean for immigrants and his clients he’s been dedicated to helping for over 26 years, “I think as Donald Trump and his administration continue to attack and wreak havoc on our already broken immigration system we are going to so a decline in immigrant social activity, including reporting crime, assisting in times of need if it means interaction with law enforcement. This level of division and unconstitutional behavior by the Trump administration can have horrible social ramifications for communities everywhere.”
What makes matters worse besides the current move by the administration to apply nearly identical terms to the COPS grant. The Byrne grant was named after an NYPD officer who was murdered while protecting an immigrant who showed courageous spirit and reported ongoing crime activity in his neighborhood.
“While living in times where communities all over are relying more and more on our justice system for protection, it is truly disheartening that we as a people are being led by a president who’s willing to disregard our Constitution to enforce his own,” said Fogle.
