Much of the criticism of Arizona’s recent immigration law is that the state presumptuously, and illegitimately, trespassed on federal prerogatives by stepping in where the federal government refused to. This criticism would be more credible if critics also complained about all the “sanctuary cities” that vociferously defy federal law and the recent decision of the city of Philadelphia to cease an important area of co-operation with federal immigration authorities.
Philadelphia is expected to end the arrangement that permits federal immigration agents to scrutinize the city’s computerized list of arrests, including country of origin and other data, Everett Gillison, the deputy mayor for public safety, said Sunday.
Immigrant advocates say the year-old agreement between the city and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement service, known as ICE, has resulted in deportation proceedings against immigrants arrested on even minor charges…..
Mayor Nutter has expressed concern about the human rights of all immigrants, regardless of their legal status.
“Immigration advocates” obviously believe that illegal immigrants who break only “minor” additional laws should not be deported, and Mayor Nutter, his police commissioner, and the city district attorney obviously believe that law-breaking illegal immigrants should be welcome in Philadelphia.
Perhaps cities that are not “sanctuary cities” should provide one-way bus tickets to all the illegal immigrants they come across to Philadelphia, San Francisco, and similar urban islands of resistance to federal law.
