A new study by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) examines the reasons sanctuary jurisdictions use to justify their policies and offers solutions on what tools the new Trump administration could use to address the problem and safety concerns they create.
The first step would be for president-elect Trump to follow through with his campaign pledge to cut off all federal funding to jurisdictions who refuse to comply with ICE detainer requests.
Current Attorney General Loretta Lynch has already issued a policy that would cut off certain federal grants to any jurisdiction that did not change their sanctuary policy by June 30, 2017. CIS’ suggestion would take this policy further.
CIS also recommends working with sanctuary cities by issuing administrative warrants to accompany detainer requests when asked and to clarify that under federal law local agencies are expected to comply with ICE detainers.
For the most defiant sanctuary cities CIS says that the federal government would need to initiate civil litigation against the policies and to selectively initiate prosecution under the alien harboring-and-shielding statute, which is a federal felony.
Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at CIS, says that even the most obstinate cities would find it hard to give up millions of dollars in federal funding and pay for legal fees to fight the federal government in court.
"Right now, they're playing chicken with [the Justice Department]," she said.
Read the full report at CIS.org.
