Sanctuary jurisdictions across the United States willfully violate Federal law in an attempt to shield aliens from removal from the United States. These jurisdictions have caused immeasurable harm to the American people and to the very fabric of our Republic. ~ Executive Order: Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States
St. Paul, MN – The “Sanctuary” status of Minnesota cities have come to end with one of two executive orders signed by President Donald Trump today.
Trump signed two Executive Orders today, both fulfilling promises he made on the campaign trail.
The first order, Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements, provides for building a barrier across the southern border of the US to help stem the flow of illegal immigrants into the US.
The second order, Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States, gives the DHS and lCE the tools and resources necessary to stop the flow of illegal immigration into the US as well as the ability to enforce US immigration laws. The action also strips federal grant money from sanctuary states and cities that harbor illegal immigrants. The Order states:
(a) In furtherance of this policy, the Attorney General and the Secretary, in their discretion and to the extent consistent with law, shall ensure that jurisdictions that willfully refuse to comply with 8 U.S.C. 1373 (sanctuary jurisdictions) are not eligible to receive Federal grants, except as deemed necessary for law enforcement purposes by the Attorney General or the Secretary. The Secretary has the authority to designate, in his discretion and to the extent consistent with law, a jurisdiction as a sanctuary jurisdiction. The Attorney General shall take appropriate enforcement action against any entity that violates 8 U.S.C. 1373, or which has in effect a statute, policy, or practice that prevents or hinders the enforcement of Federal law. ~ ENHANCING PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE INTERIOR OF THE UNITED STATES
“A nation without borders is not a nation,” Trump said during a speech at DHS headquarters. “Beginning today, the United States of America gets back control of its borders.”
The president said his directive “will save thousands of lives, millions of jobs, and billions and billions of dollars.”
One of the orders signed by Trump calls for the construction of “a large physical barrier on the southern border,” according to White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer.
The other order deals with immigration enforcement and ends the “catch and release” policy that quickly returned border crossers back to Mexico instead of arresting and processing them for deportation. The policy was a fixture of the Bush administration and was later reinstated on an informal basis by former President Barack Obama.
“Federal agents are going to unapologetically enforce the law, no ifs, ands or buts,” Spicer said.
The immigration actions also seek to withhold visas from countries to make sure they take back people in the U.S. illegally who are found to have broken U.S. laws. It would also strip federal grants from “sanctuary” cities and states that do not enforce federal immigration laws.
Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges responded to President Trump’s executive order stripping federal grant money from sanctuary states and cities on Twitter, posting: “He’ll have to come through me. He’ll have to come through us.”
He’ll have to come through me. He’ll have to come through us.
Add your name today ➡️ https://t.co/sRiOPUFxg5#sanctuarycity pic.twitter.com/3TDgh9QBJ2
— Betsy Hodges (@MayorHodges) January 25, 2017
Hodges included a link to a petition encouraging citizens to “Stand With Betsy” in opposing Trump’s immigration laws. The petition states: “Throughout his campaign and now during his first full week in office, President Donald Trump has threatened our way of life in Minneapolis and in cities throughout the country. He’s attacked women, people with disabilities, our LGBTQ neighbors, and our immigrant communities.”
It goes on: “Today President Trump signed executive orders against sanctuary cities like our own and announced sweeping bans from Muslim countries. We know these changes are just some of the first harmful policies that his administration will try to push.
But if he wants to threaten our immigrant neighbors, he’ll have to come through me. He’ll have to come through us”.
According to Reuters, the President is expected to sign an order suspending visas for citizens of seven Middle Eastern and African countries: Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Yemen and Sudan. The orders will also include putting a temporary ban, lasting several months, on most refugees attempting to enter the US until a better, more aggressive vetting process can be put into place. There will be exceptions allowed for religious minorities escaping prosecution.
As Alpha News reported, Hodges and the Minneapolis City Council recently voted in a resolution in support of the resettlement of Syrian refugees in Minneapolis and Minnesota, and encouraged other cities and states to do the same.
Andrea Mayer-Bruestle
Andrea Mayer-Bruestle is a former writer for Alpha News.
