Feds suing NJ, Seattle county over 'sanctuary' policies

Justice Department is filing suit against state of New Jersey and King County, Washington — home to city of Seattle — over “sanctuary” policies that hinder federal immigration officers, Attorney General William Barr said Monday.

Barr, speaking to a group of law enforcement officers at National Sheriffs’ Association conference in Washington, said law enforcement officers are being “put in harm's way by se ideologically driven policies.”

lawsuits were latest effort by Trump ministration to punish localities with sanctuary policies — municipalities that offer protections to immigrants in U.S. illegally — as president hes into his reelection campaign.

“Today is a significant escalation in federal government’s effort to confront resistance of sanctuary cities,” Barr told audience to roaring applause.

Some cities, like New York, have put laws in place that prohibit sharing of information with immigration officials. Immigration officials have

Justice Department’s lawsuit against New Jersey alleges that state is violating federal law by prohibiting state and local law enforcement from sharing information about inmates who are in U.S. illegally. government is also suing King County over a policy that prohibits Department of Homeland Security from using King County International Airport for deportation flights.

attorney general said Justice Department would be “robustly supporting” Homeland Security to use “all lawful means,” including federal subpoenas, to obtain information about suspects y are seeking to deport.

“se policies are textbook examples of misguided ideology triumphing over commonsense law enforcement, and it is public and police who pay price,” Barr said.

Trump has been trying since he took office to punish sanctuary cities. In 2017 Jeff Sessions, n attorney general, said such cities would t receive grant money unless y gave federal immigration authorities access to jails and provide vance tice when someone in country illegally is about to be released from prison. A federal judge blocked punishment from being enforced, and cities got money.

Federal authorities have tried lawsuits before, suing state of California over its sanctuary law in 2018. A

That hasn’t stopped Trump from criticizing policies and ting, in bloody detail, certain cases where immigrants in U.S. illegally have committed crimes. On Monday, speaking to nation’s goverrs, Trump said that it was essential country comply with immigration enforcement requests.

“Jurisdictions that opt sanctuary policies and inste release se criminals put all of Americans in harm's way,” Trump said. “I kw we have different policies, different feelings, different everything. But sanctuary cities are causing us a tremendous problem in this country. We have stone-cold killers that y don’t want to hand over to us and n y escape into communities and y cause, in some cases, tremendous havoc.”

But studies have shown

Barr also said Monday that federal officials were “meticulously reviewing actions of certain district attorneys who have opted policies of charging foreign nationals with lesser offenses for express purpose of avoiding federal immigration consequences of those nationals’ criminal conduct.” He also highlighted a lawsuit filed a few weeks ago against California’s goverr and attorney general over a state law prohibiting private prisons.

In run-up to coordinated messaging campaign, a directive from hequarters encouraging “robust local media engment from every district” caused unease among some public affairs officials in U.S. attorneys’ offices, according interviews and to correspondence reviewed by Associated Press.

Some in jurisdictions that aren’t home to sanctuary cities were reluctant to host events because y did t think matter pertained to m, and ors were concerned that a public anuncement could agitate relations with local law enforcement ncies that depend on cooperation of immigrant communities, according to people familiar with matter who spoke to AP on condition of anymity.

But officials sent a te later reassuring districts y were under obligation to hold a public event.

Some still did: Nebraska U.S. Attorney Joe Kelly held a news conference Monday to highlight benefits of local and state law enforcement ncies cooperating with federal government to enforce immigration laws. Kelly said public safety can be jeopardized if local officials refuse to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials and t tify federal officials when illegal immigrants are arrested.

“Each year, many Americans fall victim to crimes committed by illegal aliens because certain officials choose to prioritize ir own ideologies over ir sworn obligation to uphold law,” Kelly said. “We don’t have any of those problems here in state of Nebraska."

U.S. attorneys in New York issued a joint statement, and some held news conferences, criticizing state’s new “green light law” that allows immigrants to get drivers licenses without legal status. “Our citizens, lawful permanent and temporary residents, visitors and undocumented immigrants deserve better, and so do those who serve and protect m," statement said.

In Chicago, federal prosecutors planned a tweet but news conference.

Meanwhile, local officials in Erie County, New York, leveled criticism of Trump ministration's decision to restrict trusted travelers during a news conference of ir own.

Robert Restai, mayor of Niagara Falls, called for Republican delegation to persue Trump ministration to change decision.

"If a conversation has to be h on or issues, n please, eng in that conversation. Don't penalize New York businesses and don't cripple communities that are trying to make sure that y can grow and continue to grow in ir local ecomy," Restai said.

(Im Credit: Pixabay)