Leftists and the liberal media, especially the Spanish language media, have used emotional arguments to support sanctuary cities and to “protect innocent illegal aliens”. However, reason, logic and the law provide the reasons why sanctuary cities are illegal and should be opposed.
First, illegal immigration is not race or ethnic issue. It is a national security issues. Anyone who cries “racism” is doing so out of desperation and a lack of facts. It is emotional argument, not logical defense, because a sovereign nation has the right the determine who enters its borders.
Next, sanctuary cities facilitate and encourage illegal immigration. They are magnets that encourages and justifies illegal behavior, and they are unfair to legal immigrants who followed the rules and showed respect for the law.
Third, what’s the point of being a citizen or a legal resident if the illegal aliens get the same rights, privileges, and benefits?
Fourth, sanctuary cities impose costs on citizens and legal immigrants in the form of tax dollars that ought properly to benefit them. On the other hand, they go to underwrite hospital, police, prison and education services for illegal aliens.
Fifth, these communities promote crime and jeopardize citizens and legal residents. A 2005 study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office examined the cases of over 55,000 illegal immigrants incarcerated in federal, state and local facilities. The study found that these illegal alien criminals had been previously arrested an average of eight times each. About of them had been convicted of a felony, a fifth for a drug offense, and many for violent crimes. The first and primary role of the federal, state and local governments is to protect its citizens.
Sixth, they burden and endanger the police. Contrary to what liberals and the media say, illegal aliens are NOT necessary to do good police work. Police in sanctuary cities have a revolving door of people who are arrested for various criminal acts, and who are in this country illegally.
Finally, sanctuary cities breed disrespect for immigration laws, and create an attitude of resistance for law and order. Neither law enforcement nor elected officials should ever determine which laws to enforce or not. If politicians want to create sanctuaries against immigration laws, why not create them against Roe v. Wade, or paying taxes?
Insuring domestic tranquility, as per the Constitution, presupposes that all persons will obey all laws, including those they disagree with it. If they disagree with a law, there is a legal and proper process that can be followed to change it.
However, they are NOT free to thumb their nose at the law, much less to tell police officers that they must follow illegal and irresponsible policies that that are based on politics and endanger citizens. We cannot excuse and/or reward illegal immigration in anyway or we will get more. What part of word “ILLEGAL” don’t they understand?
Citizens need to address sanctuary cities at the local level because they are the result of actions by local elected officials against federal immigration policies. Sanctuary cities must be opposed because they lawless and encourage lawlessness. Elected officials who swear to support the Constitution should do that.
George Rodriguez, El Conservador