The threat to withhold federal funding from cities and communities with
sanctuary policies
illustrate the current divide among our nation’s people, particularly
when it comes to immigration. While there is no set definition of a sanctuary
city or community, a sanctuary policy generally prevents police officers
from asking about an individual’s immigration status and/or declining
to keep those individuals in custody whom federal immigration officials
are seeking to detain and deport. The first sanctuary policy in the nation
was issued by the state of Oregon in order to protect migrant workers
and their families. California has taken a hardline stance on the issue,
due in large part to the estimated 2.3 million immigrants residing in
the state without a legal immigration status. San Francisco sued Trump
over his attack on sanctuary policies; meanwhile, the California legislature
introduced measures to provide funds for legal assistance for immigrants
facing removal and to combat any attempt by the federal government to
create a Muslim registry. On the other end of the spectrum, the Republican
governor of Texas has praised the Trump stance on sanctuary policies as
a means of securing the border, and has mandated the development of a
bill that punishes local governments who fail to cooperate with federal
immigration authorities as requested. The Travis County Sheriff, however,
announced her intent to decline all requests for holds on individuals
by immigration authorities, aside from those individuals accused of murder,
aggravated sexual assault, and human trafficking. The Texas governor’s
response was to put a halt to $1.5 million in criminal justice grants
to the county. Sanctuary cities exist in communities that wish to protect
the rights of immigrants who have no legal status, but who are living
in the U.S. With the Trump administration in place, however, the future
of these sanctuary cities is uncertain. Ultimately, however, any undocumented
immigrant remains at risk for deportation if detained by U.S. Immigration
and Customs Enforcement, whether he or she resides in a sanctuary city
or not. At
Landerholm Immigration, A.P.C., your skilled and knowledgeable immigration lawyers have the experience
necessary to successfully defend you against removal. Our Bay Area immigration
lawyers handle these types of cases on a daily basis and know how to best
represent your interests so that you can remain in the U.S. with your
family. Contact our office right away so that we can get started building
a defense to removal on your behalf.
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