The city of Philadelphia has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, arguing that their decision to withhold funding from sanctuary cities was “purely political” and “contrary to law, unconstitutional, and arbitrary and capricious.”
However, isn’t that the exact way one would describe a city’s attempt to undermine National Security, by refusing to enforce federal immigration law?
Last month, Attorney Jeff Sessions announced that the Trump administration will be withholding federal funding for state and local judicial and law enforcement programs to all sanctuary cities. Sessions did not mince words in describing the situation, “these policies also encourage illegal immigration and even human trafficking by perpetuating the lie that in certain cities, illegal aliens can live outside the law.”
Sessions continued, saying, “we must encourage these ‘sanctuary’ jurisdictions to change their policies and partner with federal law enforcement to remove criminals. From now on, the Department will only provide Byrne JAG grants to cities and states that comply with federal law.”
The Attorney General’s chief mission is to reduce crime, and Sessions has been a vocal opponent of violent Hispanic gangs, such as MS-13, whose brutal and grisly tactics have terrorized south and central America for years. It is no secret that foreign murderers, drug lords, and human traffickers congregate in sanctuary cities. Sessions is hopeful that, “these long overdue requirements will help us take down MS-13 and other violent transnational gangs, and make our country safer.”
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney released a statement complaining that the enforcement of federal law by federal authorities was unlawful. He went on to speculate that the motive behind ridding the United States of violent Hispanic gangs, and human traffickers is, “purely political.”
“The Trump administration claims that it is imposing these to keep Philadelphians safer, but the facts don’t lie. Philadelphia isn’t breaking federal law. We’re doing smart policing and, as a result, we had the lowest level of crime in 2016 that we’ve had in 40 years,” Kenney argued.
Philadelphia Councilwoman Helen Gym, issued a coordinated statement supporting the Mayor’s position, “I am proud to stand with Mayor Kenney and the City of Philadelphia as we take on the outrageous actions of this federal administration.”
Although, the Department of Justice hasn’t officially discussed the lawsuit, Devin O’Malley, a spokesman for the Department of Justice provided a written statement that indicates that the Department of Justice believes that the lawsuit does “a disservice” to the American people, and to Philadelphians by “protecting criminal aliens rather than law-abiding citizens.”
O’Malley, in his written statement noted, “When criminal aliens are returned to the streets instead of sent home, public safety is undermined.” And went on to highlight that, “Murder rates are on the rise in Philadelphia, but today the City joined other jurisdictions in doing a disservice to their citizens by protecting criminal aliens rather than law-abiding citizens.”