Ari Fleischer: Protecting Americans
Former White House press secretary, Ari Fleischer, discussed on “American Report” the potential dangers posed by sanctuary cities, particularly following the release of immigrant murder suspects during Joe Biden’s presidency.
In Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton has initiated a lawsuit against Houston’s city officials regarding a recently adopted “sanctuary” ordinance. This ordinance aims to curtail local cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Just last week, the ordinance was approved by a 12-5 vote, which abolished a Houston police policy requiring officers to wait for ICE to arrive at least 30 minutes if a suspect had an entry warrant.
The lawsuit targets Houston Mayor John Whitmire, 16 members of the City Council, and Houston Police Chief J. Noe Diaz. Paxton contends that this new ordinance contravenes Senate Bill 4, a state law enacted in 2017 that restricts local governments from establishing or enforcing laws that hinder federal immigration enforcement.
“We cannot let local officials implement policies that jeopardize public safety,” Paxton mentioned. “Under my oversight, no Texas city will provide a safe haven for illegal immigrants.” He emphasized that the Texas Legislature has put strong measures in place to deter such “lawless” ordinances like the one passed in Houston. Furthermore, he insisted that Houston lacks the authority to disregard the Constitution and laws enacted by Congress, urging them to repeal the ordinance immediately.
Mayor Whitmire responded, expressing concern over the political nature of the issue, stating, “It’s regrettable that so many resources are dedicated to something that shouldn’t be partisan. This also disrupts our duty to ensure safety for all Houstonians.”
City Councilmember Alejandra Salinas voiced her support for defending the ordinance in court. She expressed, “It’s not a matter of whether we should go to court. We are already involved, and we must robustly defend the laws we’ve enacted.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has threatened to withhold public safety funding if Houston progresses with the ordinance, indicating that the city has received over $100 million from the state, contingent upon compliance with immigration enforcement. “If they don’t comply, the consequences will be substantial,” Abbott warned, emphasizing the importance of safety on Houston streets.
A special City Council meeting set for Friday has been postponed following Abbott’s extension of the deadline for the city to address the funding threat.
