California Closer to Creating Sanctuary State

Courthousenews ^ | 07/05/2017 | DEREK FLEMING

[MarchonDC09122009]

http://www.courthousenews.com/california-closer-creating-sanctuary-state/

California Closer to Creating Sanctuary State Posted by DEREK FLEMING

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) – Over objections from sheriffs’ unions and the California Police Chiefs Association, the California Assembly Judiciary Committee took a step forward in making the Golden State a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants.

State Senate President Pro Tem Kevin De Leon, D-Los Angeles, said his measure, Senate Bill 54 or the “California Values Act,” is intended to prevent state and local law enforcement from cooperating with what he calls the “Trump Deportation Machine.”

Opponents call it a “sanctuary state measure” that goes against federal immigration law and obstructs the ability of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to do their job.

De Leon said the bill is only necessary because of the election of President Donald Trump and his campaign promise to drastically reduce the number of undocumented immigrants living in the United States.

“If Jeb Bush or Chris Christie or John Kasich had been elected, this bill would not be necessary,” De Leon said. “These are extraordinary times.”

“Under constitutional threats from the reckless Trump administration, SB 54 protects state and local law enforcement and resources necessary to keep our communities safe,” De Leon said. “ICE is out to arrest and deport honest, hard-working parents who obey the laws and pay their taxes and owe allegiance to the red, white and blue. Arrests of undocumented immigrants with no previous criminal record are up 150 percent since Trump became president.”

Assemblywoman Eloise Gomez Reyes said the measure is necessary not just for California, but for the nation.

“California must send a clear message that we will remain the last line of defense against the fear-mongering and xenophobia,” Reyes said. “Rather than addressing the failure of policy, the federal solution has been to demonize our immigrant communities.”

De Leon said the bill protects the trust police departments need to effectively investigate crimes, by ensuring witnesses and victims will not be arrested and deported just for cooperating with law enforcement. The measure prevents communication between state and local police with federal authorities except within a narrow list of crimes for which an undocumented person must have been previously convicted.

“Senate Bill 54 is not about safeguarding criminals,” De Leon said. “We are focusing on arresting dangerous criminals, prosecuting them and imprisoning them, not engaging in criminal dumping and letting them avoid prosecution.”

Despite a May 25 raid in which ICE agents arrested 188 illegal immigrants in Los Angeles, total numbers of arrests of illegal immigrants are relatively flat in California and somewhat lower than during the Obama administration, according to U.S. immigration officials.

Many of those arrested in the May 25 raids had ties to El Salvadoran prison gangs such as MS-13. About 90 percent had previous criminal records for a variety of crimes including drug offenses, domestic violence, DUI, sex crimes, battery, weapons violations, assault, burglary, fraud, vehicle theft, arson, cruelty to a child, robbery, obstructing justice, property damage, larceny, escape, manslaughter, prostitution, trespassing, incest, and receipt of stolen property.

Under SB 54, virtually all of these individuals wouldn’t be transferred to ICE after serving time for convictions since the measure specifies “serious felonies” – which doesn’t include most of the crimes precipitating the May 25 raids.

Boasting a constitutional legal sign-off written by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, De Leon’s bill has support from police departments in Los Angeles and several other counties throughout the state.

Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin, pointed out that Holder was paid for his analysis and released his approval of the bill one day before announcing his intention to run for president in 2020.

Kiley questioned Holder’s reliability and asked why De Leon paid for Holder’s analysis rather than rely on one prepared by the Legislative Council. Kiley said Holder refused to meet with GOP representatives to discuss the measure, opting instead to meet only with Democrats.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown, also president of the California Sheriffs Association, said sheriffs and deputies do not act as immigration police and that SB 54 protects criminals.

“We believe this bill provides sanctuary to criminals and makes our communities less safe,” Brown said. “SB 54 would result in many dangerous criminal offenders being released to our streets without proper communication and cooperation with immigration authorities.”

Brown said that due to the narrow definition of crimes that permit local law enforcement interaction, many criminals – including those convicted of burglary, multiple DUIs, spousal abuse and murder suspects who have not been convicted – would not be turned over to ICE.

A similar bill passed by the Legislature in 2012 was vetoed by Gov. Jerry Brown because it was missing serious crimes, all of which are also absent from SB 54. De Leon has refused to make amendments proposed by the Sheriffs Association to add these crimes and to address other concerns held by sheriff’s departments, whose primary responsibilities are the operation of jails.

Conflicting federal laws could tie the measure up if it is approved and signed into law. Legislation signed by President Bill Clinton in the mid-1990s bars states from creating laws that restrict communication with federal law enforcement agencies.

Meanwhile, judicial decisions at the federal level have also created precedence that the federal government cannot commandeer local law enforcement resources for the purpose of immigration enforcement, nor can they force states to use resources to further federal goals.

The measure is supported by immigrant rights groups and the ACLU, and has received support from law enforcement agencies including the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPD sees the measure as an extension of its policy that has been in effect for more than 40 years.

[Libertynotfree]

Those people who support this bill should be ashame of themselves.

[Libertynotfree]

Hell!!...Why dont they just make California a Sanctuary State for robbers...rapists.....pedophiles ..murderers..(feel free to add other lawbreakers to the list).....and then just wall it off 
**********
The State had already been running that way.

[dsc]

Isn’t this why we buy bayonets for the Marines?

[Kenton]

Fine with me. When Trump shuts off their federal funds for the entire "sanctuary" state, it's going to create social chaos among the pampered welfare careerists. Taxes will have to go up drastically to replace the loss of federal funds.

The left coast elites will be hardest hit, since they are where the money is.

Because of this, people who can afford to will want to relocate, driving the tax base into further chaos as demand for public assistance to illegals increases.

In the end, it may lead to the end of Brown's ability to govern. Sorry, Jerry, you broke it, you own it.

[ConservativeMind]

So, if we nuked the LA and SF general areas, the Federal Government could then send in troops to clean up the rest, right?

[backwoods-engineer]

I hope California does go full “sanctuary state” insane. Then, Trump can declare the whole state to be in insurrection, and roll tanks.

[i_robot73]

“....crimes including drug offenses, domestic violence, DUI, sex crimes, battery, weapons violations, assault, burglary, fraud, vehicle theft, arson, cruelty to a child, robbery, obstructing justice, property damage, larceny, escape, manslaughter, prostitution, trespassing, incest, and receipt of stolen property. Under SB 54...since the measure specifies “serious felonies” – which doesn’t include most of the (above)...”

Come now, these are just taxpaying, law-biding....criminal aliens.

Must be nice to be an illegal. More rights than a Citizen.

Someone want to ask CA about all those poor POOR illegals using the stolen identities needed to work, rent, buy insurance, open accounts, etc.?? And, how the victims of said illegality how much they like ‘supporting’ the illegals...

[Kickass Conservative]

Deleon said half his Family are Illegals.

I would love ICE to show up at his Family Reunion.

[setha]

No way to cause a massive seismic event? Just as devastating and much cleaner.

[Mastador1]

Trump could retaliate by threatening to close all military bases in California.

That would end the debate stat.

Don't be so sure, moonbeam and the whakacrats would love it, they hate the military to begin with and would love to get ahold of the base properties like they did El Toro and sell it off to subsidize their illegal support of illegals.

[setha]

Scuttle the properties to the point where it costs them more to remediate the property than it does to leave it alone.

[Mastador1]

That would be screwing over the decent Californians and actually all Americans who would eventually be stuck with paying to clean up a Federal mess. Try not to cut your nose off to spite your face.

[patriotsoul]

I say let CA exit the Union and we quickly declare Puerto Rico a State so we don’t have to adjust the stars on our flag.

[Tzimisce]

This is unConstitutional.

Only the Congress has the power of immigration.

And states are required to follow Federal law whether they like it or not.

[taildragger]

" Indeed. California is now in a state of insurrection. Defying federal immigration laws, the way they're doing, is tantamount to secession."

Good...

Time to pull out all Military and Close their bases. While we are at it, all purchases required by the rest of the Federal Apparatus needs to be curtailed including Boeing, Northrup Grumman, and Lockheed. Sorry boys, you make great toys, but you are behind the lines of what might not be US Territory by the way they are behaving.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

So we can stop shipping water and electricity to California?

[Carl Vehse]

Turn Calipornia back into a U.S. territory.

[Chgogal]

Why the hell do DemocRats side with ILLEGAL CITIZENS over citizens?

[CottonBall]

“ICE is out to arrest and deport honest, hard-working parents who obey the laws and pay their taxes and owe allegiance to the red, white and blue.”

I guess the definition of ILLEGAL is too hard for liberals to comprehend.

[CottonBall]

It won’t work. They are likely related to illegals.

And many whites have departed the state, tired of the invasion and being a minority with none of the perks.