Posted on 04/07/2006 12:05:39 PM PDT by Uncledave
SAN FRANCISCO - Mayor Gavin Newsom said Thursday that The City will not comply with any federal legislation that criminalizes efforts to help illegal immigrants.
The mayor also denounced a bipartisan congressional proposal that would beef up border security and allow as many as 12 million illegal immigrants to gain legal status.
Newsom, who has not been afraid to wade into controversial national issues such as gay marriage, appeared with a group of elected officials on the steps of City Hall to support immigrants, “documented as well as undocumented.”Newsom also signed a resolution sponsored by Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval, and passed unanimously by the Board of Supervisors, urging San Francisco law enforcement not to comply with criminal provisions of any new immigration bill.
“San Francisco stands foursquare in strong opposition to the rhetoric coming out of Washington, D.C.,” Newsom said. “If people think we were defiant on the gay marriage issue, they haven’t seen defiance.”
It is not the first time San Francisco has weighed in on the immigration issue. In 1989, the Board of Supervisors made San Francisco a “City of Refuge.” The ordinance forbids city resources from being used to enforce federal immigration laws or to gather or disseminate information regarding the status of residents of The City. The Board of Supervisors passed a resolution reaffirming the ordinance in January.
The bill at issue is H.R. 4437, a House measure that would make it a crime to be in the United States illegally or offer aid to illegal immigrants. It also would enlist military and law enforcement to help stop illegal immigration, require employers to verify the legal status of workers and build new fences along the U.S.-Mexico border. Thursday’s press conference came shortly after a group of bipartisan U.S. senators announced they reached a compromise on their version of immigration legislation, which would not criminalize illegal immigration or assisting illeglal immigrants.
Newsom said he was disappointed with Democratic leaders for agreeing to the compromise and that he supported a more immigrant-friendly bill that was put forward by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass, which was part of the basis of the compromise legislation.
Newsom and other city officials also derided U.S. House of Representatives bill 4437, which calls for building a 700-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexico border and criminalizing groups that provide aid to illegal immigrants.
“National-origin discrimination is the civil rights issue of our time,” said Rodel Rodis, a member of the City College board and an immigration attorney. “I could go to jail because of helping illegal immigrants.”
If only. San Francisco is an oozing sore on the lovely face of California.
I couldn't agree more. It's a shame about the Bay Area because during and after WWII it was the west coast Navy stronghold. Patriotism couldn't have been at a higher level.
Our military helped make the area and now a good many people there spurn them. It's just pathetic.
And an apparent accurate representation of S.F. voters.
"It is a sad day when an illegal can get everything for free but the wife of a dead soldier is asked to pay.
Bush has stabbed conservatives in the back for the last time."
You got that right. Good thing he's in his final term...he'd never make another. The sad thing is that because of things like this, the republicans stand a verrry good chance of losing the House, the Senate and the White House with Hitlery as the next POTUS....now thats scary but a very real possibility. What does it take to wake this country up?????
I've never seen such a spineless bunch. You can forever relinquish the thought of drilling for oil in ANWAR. With a full Senate and House and White House of republicans, we still aren't drilling there....meanwhile fuel prices continue to soar. This country has been sold out by both parties...its gonna get ugly before getting better....
Sodom by the Sea, does it again.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.