Page 5 - ARUBA TODAY

A5
U.S. NEWS Wednesday 1 February
California lawmakers eye statewide immigration sanctuary

J. COOPER vices that include housing,
Associated Press health and social services,
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) and homelessness.
— Democrats in the Cali- The suit argues the city is
fornia Senate ramped up safer when all people, in-
their fight Tuesday against cluding those who are liv-
President Donald Trump, ing in the country illegally,
advancing a bill that would feel safe reporting crimes.
provide statewide sanctu- Later Tuesday, the state
ary for immigrants by keep- Senate Judiciary Commit-
ing local law enforcement tee was expected to con-
from cooperating with fed- sider fast-tracked legisla-
eral immigration authori- tion that would allow the
ties. state to spend an undis-
The move in the nation’s closed amount of money
largest state — home to an
estimated 2.3 million immi- State Sen. President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, re- to provide lawyers for peo-
grants without legal autho- sponds to a lawmakers question concerning his bill to prohibit ple facing deportation.
rization — came days after local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigra- The debate over sanctu-
Trump launched a crack- tion authorities during a hearing of the Senate Public Safety ary cities escalated in 2015
down on immigration and Committee, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, in Sacramento, Calif. after Kate Steinle, 32, was
sanctuary cities across the (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) fatally shot in the back by
nation. jailers from arresting or de- lates states’ rights and the Juan Francisco Lopez-San-
The state Senate Public taining people solely for law. chez, who was in the coun-
Safety Committee ap- immigration violations un- San Francisco receives try illegally after multiple
proved the measure with less a judge issues a war- about $1.2 billion a year deportations to his native
a 5-2 party-line vote af- rant. State and local law in federal funding for ser- Mexico.q
ter Trump signed an order enforcement agencies
threatening to withdraw could not help investigate
some federal grants from immigration violations, in-
sanctuary cities. quire about someone’s im-
“We want to make sure migration status or provide
that police officers don’t addresses to immigration
abandon their beat and go officers.
enforce immigration laws,” Law enforcement data-
said Senate President Pro bases would be off limits for
Tem Kevin de Leon of Los immigration investigations,
Angeles, the author of the though police officials
measure. could still discuss some-
Republicans and law en- one’s previous arrests and
forcement groups said the convictions with immigra-
bill would make it harder for tion agents.
law officers to work togeth- The legislation also seeks to
er to fight crime. limit immigration enforce-
“I think this bill is making it ment activity at schools,
that much more difficult courthouses and shelters.
for the federal authorities Democrats said the bill is
to get the most dangerous needed to protect peo-
criminals that we want to ple such as Victor Alvarez,
deport to keep our com- a U.S. citizen who told the
munities safe,” said Sen. committee that his father
Jeff Stone, a Temecula was pulled over for a bro-
Republican who voted ken taillight and deported
against the measure. hours later.
Some Republicans have “Since my dad was deport-
criticized the Democratic ed the whole family has
reaction to Trump’s poli- been suffering,” Alvarez
cies, saying bombastic said. “I had to put school
rhetoric and provocative on hold just to support the
legislation will inflame ten- family.”
sions with the president and San Francisco sued Trump
harm California. on Tuesday, claiming the
Many of California’s largest executive order that would
cities — including Los An- cut funding from sanctu-
geles, San Francisco and ary cities is unconstitutional
Sacramento — already and a “severe invasion of
have sanctuary policies San Francisco’s sovereign-
that prohibit police from ty.”
cooperating with immigra- The federal government
tion authorities. cannot “put a gun to the
SB54 would extend those head of localities,” City At-
policies statewide, prohib- torney Dennis Herrera said,
iting police officers and arguing that the order vio-