AP: House Wants to Deny Sanctuary Cities Aid

[Eugene]

House Wants to Deny Sanctuary Cities Aid

By JENNIFER TALHELM
The Associated Press
Thursday, July 6, 2006; 6:32 PM

WASHINGTON -- Cities and states that aid illegal immigrants without reporting
them to the authorities risk losing millions of dollars in homeland security
and other federal money under two spending bills approved last month by the
House.

The bills, which fund the departments of Homeland Security, Commerce, State
and Justice, were amended to refuse federal money to any city or state with
policies that prohibit local government officials from alerting federal authorities
about possible immigration law violators.

<snip>

But the prospect outraged New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who raised
the issue during a Senate immigration hearing in Philadelphia this week, threatening
"one heck of a battle" if Congress cuts off homeland security and justice dollars.

Bloomberg said New York City protects residents' confidentiality when they report
a crime or seek medical care or education.

<snip>

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/06/AR2006070601324.html

[TechBear_Seattle]

1. What ever it might take to destroy the liberal stranglehold on America...

... the Grand Old Party will do it. Nevermind that it will destroy America: we all know that the liberal media elite are a much clearer and more present danger than Osama whats-his-name.

[azurnoir]

2. And besides

everyone knows that only criminals,foreigners, the poor, and of course the librul elite live in cities. Real Amuricans live in the second or third tier suburbs or rural areas, so what does it matter?:sarcasm:
edited for wording

[sinkingfeeling]

3. I just love these compassionate conservatives to death, don't you?

[bemildred]

4. "Sanctuary cities"?

Who writes this dreck?

[Igel]

6. That's apparently the term that advocates for the

movement use.

I figure it goes back to the OT 'cities of sanctuary', with a nod to English common law. Inapt, IMHO; the first was used only in the case of accidental homicide, with family 'avengers' having the right to kill the killer if s/he leaves the city; and the other was useful in the case of political asylum seekers--in other cases, it usually stopped a lynch mob so that a more sedate sort of justice could be employed.

[Bridget Burke]

5. A Houston Rep is for this provision--which will punish Houston.

July 6, 2006, 10:32AM
Immigration hearings thousands of miles apart
House panel in California focuses on security, while senators discuss aid in Philadelphia

By GEBE MARTINEZ
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau

PHILADELPHIA - With the mayor of New York City criticizing a Houston congressman's amendment, the Republican Party's feud about immigration played out Wednesday during hearings on both coasts on the competing House and Senate plans to deal with the issue.....

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg sternly warned Congress to back away from the provision by Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston, that would force local authorities to step up immigration enforcement or lose millions in federal law enforcement funding. It passed last week.

New York will continue to protect the confidentiality of law-abiding immigrants when they report a crime, visit a hospital or send their children to school, Bloomberg told the Senate panel.

Last week, Culberson listed Houston, New York and Los Angeles among cities that "have adopted sanctuary policies which prevent law enforcement officers from inquiring about immigration status." He could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/special/immigration/4026944.html

Houston is not, strictly speaking a "sanctuary" city. But we have a longstanding rule that the Houston Police do NOT inquire about the immigration status of crime victims or witnesses. Anyone charged with a crime may have their status checked--but HPD does not want people afraid to report crimes.

In related news, Houston CouncilPerson Sherry Sekula-Gibbs opposes the HPD policy--although she supported it in 2003.

www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3997706.html

Dr Sekula-Gibbs is a dermatologist who did not change her name when married to her first husband. Her second husband was Sylvan Rodriguez, a respected newscaster who died from pancreatic cancer. So she changed her name to Sekula-Rodriguez & ran for City Council. Then she married a guy she'd dated during the campaign & became Sekula-Gibbs. Last I heard, she was in the running to fill Tom DeLay's shoes & she's trying to prove herself a Republican hard-ass.