In late February, Lancaster, Pennsylvania City Council members unanimously voted to adopt a new ordinance that would effectively make the city a “sanctuary.” for illegal immigrants.
WGAL Lancaster Trust Law prohibits the city from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in most circumstances, the report said.
The measure requires Lancaster to “maintain a three-star or higher welcoming city rating from Welcoming America,” the ordinance states.
welcome america is a nonprofit organization that helps “communities develop welcoming policies and create the roadmap needed to share new approaches to inclusion to create environments where everyone can truly thrive.”
In 2019, Lancaster was recognized as “.a welcoming city” by the organization. Other certified cities Includes Baltimore, Maryland. Boise, Idaho. Charlotte, North Carolina. Dallas, Texas; Detroit, Michigan. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. and New Orleans, Louisiana.
”[T]”The City of Lancaster has welcomed immigrants since its founding in 1742,” the ordinance continued.[T]The City recognizes that enforcement of civil federal immigration laws falls exclusively within the purview of the federal government. ”
The City of Lancaster “is committed to ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their actual citizenship or immigration status, are reassured that it is not dangerous for them to contact or receive assistance from members of the Lancaster Police Department. We encourage people to report and cooperate with investigations into criminal activity, which will lead to immigration proceedings.”
The bill notes that the city aims to “promote an inclusive culture of diversity” and “promote equity.”
City officials and employees are prohibited from inquiring or disclosing an individual’s citizenship status.
”[U]Under no circumstances will the City assist in determining the physical location, address, or location of an individual for civil immigration enforcement purposes, unless required by state or federal law, regulation, warrant, court order, or subpoena; Do not provide information to ICE regarding any other information. ” the ordinance states.
City Council Vice President Jaime Arroyo told WGAL: A safe environment, a welcoming environment. ”
County Commissioner Josh Parson said the ordinance effectively designates Lancaster as a “sanctuary city.”
“Last night it appears that Lancaster City Council decided to bow down to the most violent and lawless areas of the electorate and officially become a sanctuary city,” he said.
at the joint statement“We are extremely alarmed by the Lancaster City Council’s decision not to cooperate with federal law enforcement,” Republican state senators Ryan Aument, Scott Martin and Chris Gebhardt said in a statement. “It’s putting the safety of people at risk.” Residents of Lancaster County. ”
The City Council’s unanimous vote came just five days after 22-year-old Georgia student Laken Riley was killed by an illegal immigrant.
“It is noteworthy that the killer had been arrested for another crime before killing his victims and had since been released by New York authorities,” the Republican state senators said. “While the historic crisis at the border is largely due to President Biden’s failures in immigration policy, this decision by the council will only exacerbate the problem regionally. It is tone-deaf, dangerous, and adds to an already grave emergency.” It makes it worse.”
City spokeswoman Amber Strazzo Leiter said. lancaster online The ordinance does not designate Lancaster as a sanctuary city.
“While it is true that this ordinance is intended to create a welcoming environment for immigrants and refugees in Lancaster, it is important to be clear that this does not designate Lancaster as a ‘sanctuary city.’ she said.
“ICE’s internal enforcement efforts primarily focus on threats to public safety and are most effective when there is strong communication and cooperation with local law enforcement partners,” an ICE spokesperson told WGAL. Therefore, sanctuary jurisdictions are inherently less secure.”
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