In California, Senate Bill 54 passed the state Senate on a part-line vote of 27-12 in favor of the state becoming the nation’s first “Sanctuary State,” according to Time on Monday.
The passage of the bill means it will go to the state assembly for a vote before landing on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk. There has been harsh criticism from Republicans, many of them expressing their fear of what President Trump might do. Before the vote on Monday, Republican state Sen. Jeff Stone said of the bill, “You’ll be kicking the president right in the groin, and I imagine he’s going to strike back.”
However, California is a state that has been built by immigrants and they continue to play a vital part in the state’s economy, industry and actually, in all walks of life. It is estimated that 10 million immigrants live in California, with possibly 25 percent of them being undocumented.
State Senator Kevin de León, the bill’s author says, “This is about making our communities safer, not less safe … We don’t grovel and put our hand out so we can get a little money and buy a police car, Our role and responsibility are to protect all individuals.”
A new sanctuary city emerges in Maryland
The City Council of Hyattsville, Maryland held a preliminary vote Monday night, voting 8-2 in favor of becoming a sanctuary city. The affirmative vote showed the overwhelming support behind a bill that would make sure the city does not help the federal government in immigration matters.
Prince George’s County has passed similar legislation that declares itself a safe haven from law enforcement wanting to look into someone’s immigration status. Interestingly, the argument being used in most of Maryland’s sanctuary cities is really simple – It’s not their job to enforce federal immigration laws, according to Fox News.
Hyattsville has received more than $1.0 million from the federal government in the past seven years, with most of the money going to the police department, but they are willing to take a risk in losing future funding. A final vote on sanctuary status will be held on April 17.
Lansing, Michigan joins the sanctuary city list
At the Lansing City Council meeting Monday night, the debate started out focusing on a resolution that would outline the role city employees should play when working with immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. However, to the surprise of everyone in the audience, an amendment designating Lansing as a sanctuary city was added by council member Jessica Yorko just prior to the vote.
The resolution with the added amendment passed unanimously, making Lansing not only a “Welcoming City,” but a Sanctuary City. “I’m really happy with how things worked out tonight,” said council member Kathie Dunbar, who has been discussing the issue with residents and local organizations for months. “From the standpoint of protection, what we have done is a classic sanctuary city.”
“With the various immigrant and refugee-related controversies coming out of the Trump White House and from Attorney General Jeff Sessions, many in our community have raised questions,” Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero said in a statement, reports Michigan Live.
Sanctuary city status is now a hot-button issue
With CNN News reporting illegal border crossings at an historic low for the month of March this year, dropping to around 63 percent from previous levels, sanctuary city status remains a hot topic of debate. Just two weeks ago, according to Digital Journal, Attorney General Jeff Sessions reiterated that the Trump steamroller would follow through on its promises to crack down on so-called “sanctuary cities.”
Sessions added cities with policies that protect immigrants in the country illegally have policies that “endanger the lives of every American” and violate federal law. He then said the Trump administration could withhold or “claw back” any funding from any city that “willfully violates” the immigration law.
