Trump doesn’t get that sanctuary cities are about providing public safety

By Victor Landa, NewsTaco (1.5 minute read) 

There’s a good editorial in the Chicago Tribune that takes Trump’s immigration plan to task.

“Can President Donald Trump make America safer by taking money away from local police departments? Short answer: No. But Trump’s attorney general, Jeff Sessions, doubled down on that threat/promise this week, saying the administration soon would take steps to withhold federal law enforcement grants from so-called sanctuary communities, including Chicago and Cook County.”

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It’s an easy logic to follow. The issue isn’t immigration, it’s public safety. Sanctuary cities are safer because no on in the community fells threatened when the report crime. Whereas undocumented residents in cities that are not considered safe havens are less likely to report crime.

Then add the illogical reaction by Trump and his Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, to refuse federal law enforcement funding for sanctuary cities. Where’s the logic in making those cities less safe as a remedy?

There are, so far, 300 cities considered to be “sanctuary” that would be affected by the fund-withholding plan. The tribune says “A federal lawsuit filed by San Francisco — joined by dozens of other jurisdictions, including Chicago — argues that it would be unconstitutional.”

Not only that, “Much of the money is subject to congressional appropriation, anyway, so it can’t be revoked without lawmakers’ approval. The Community Oriented Policing Services program, for example, is distributed under a formula set by Congress. Chicago got $7.3 million in COPS money this year.”

This argument is far from over.