In response to the administration of President Donald Trump that the so -called cities and your sanctuary confirm on Tuesday that they would end their policies affable to immigrant, democratic leaders in many targeted jurisdiction this week announced that they were opposing or just not responding to the request of the federal government.
How does Philadelphia like? The mayor of Cherellle L. Parker would rather not say.
“Our Department of Law will deal with all questions of the US Department of Justice in accordance with applicable procedures,” said on Thursday, the city of Renee Garcia, the highest class Parker Meniphee.
A spokesman for the Department of Justice, Natalie Baldassarre, said that the agency sent a letter from the prosecutor general Pamela Bondi, who was dated August 13 and directed to Parker and Garcia. The Dojow provided a copy of the letter, but refused to comment whether Philadelphia answered.
Garcia’s comments initially did not explain whether the city responded to the Bondi letter. Later on Thursday, Garcia sent a second statement suggesting that the city had never received it, even though the state said that it was sent and other jurisdictions recognize that they received it.
“If and when the city of Philadelphia receives correspondence from the US Department of Justice, our Department of Law will answer accordingly,” Garcia added.
Parker spokesman refused to develop.
Since its inception in January, Parker has tried to preserve Philadelphia’s policy, avoiding a direct confrontation with the White House in an apparent attempt to stop the city from the goal. Some local supporters of immigrants called Parker to more vocal opposition to Trump’s policy.
The muddy reaction of Parker about the Bondi letter shows how its strategy can be more hard to maintain when the White House increases its efforts to part and refuse to finance the “sanctuary”.
»Read more: How much can Philly lose if Trump limits funds to cities? Here’s what you need to know.
During Parker’s term of office, the city leaders called Philadelphia a “friendly city”, not a “city of the sanctuary”. But Parker maintained the immigration policy adopted by her predecessor, Jim Kenney, that Trump’s administration is trying to mark out. And this month, the Department of Justice embraced Philly on the list of 18 cities, four poviats and 13 states that it considers this to be jurisdictions of the “sanctuary”.
In the letter, Bondi asked for those jurisdictions that submitted the answer that “confirms your commitment to comply with federal law and identifies direct initiatives that you take to eliminate legal provisions, principles and practices that make it difficult to enforce immigration.” The jurisdictions had the date of August 19, she wrote.
He also warned that the federal government could suspend funds at these jurisdictions and accuse the criminals of local officials who resisted the Trump administration, incendant and legally dubious threat.
“Persons acting in accordance with the color of the law, using their official position to hind up federal efforts of immigration enforcement and facilitating or causing illegal immigration may be prosecuted,” Bondi wrote.
Many courts have ruled that local jurisdictions are not obliged to support the enforcement of immigration law, federal liability, and some found that attempts at their fatigue may violate the 10th amendment to the constitution.
Unchanged rules
Garcia said on Thursday that Philadelphia’s policy is legal and has not changed.
“The city of Philadelphia remains in line with all applicable federal and state regulations regarding immigration, and executive orders in 2016 on the detainees remain in place,” said Garcia.
In 2016, Kenney has signed an executive order Prohibition of prisons in Philadelphia honoring detainees, in which the enforcement of immigration and customs law in the US asks local prison to maintain prisoners suspected of immigration violation for an additional 48 hours when they are released to facilitate the arrest by federal agents.
Determining conclusions for detention are one of the most critical state and local policies, which conservatives incorrectly hinder immigration enforcement.
Louisville, ky., Mayor of Craig Greenberg in July ended the policy of his city consisting in the fact that they did not honor the conclusions after the Trump administration identified it as a jurisdiction of the sanctuary, on the initial list published at the end of May on the State website before removing at the beginning of June after discovering errors. (Philadelphia was contained on the original Dojal list, as well as recently published).
“The stake is too high,” Greenberg said at that time. “We don’t want the National Guard to occupy the streets of Louisville.”
Meanwhile, the mayor of Boston Michelle Wu organized a rally this week against the request of Bondi and sent a written implementation Saying that her city will “never withdraw.”
“Stop attacking our cities to hide administration failures” Wu said. “Boston will not withdraw from who we are and what we stand.”
Wu’s comments prompted the full ice director of Todd Lyons to say that immigration agents “Zała” Boston.
Parker implemented a strategy that aims to maintain a balance between these Greenberg and Wu: without withdrawing, but not to choose the fight.
“There is uncertainty in the air now. People do not know what to expect from their government,” said Parker last month, not to mention Trump by name. “Your city is here to ensure security and protect basic rights.”
Ellie Rushing, a staff writer, contributed to this article.
