Sanctuary City Policies in San Francisco
again under fire
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
By Carl Braun
Examiner.com
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom (AP Photo)
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It is not often you will see San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom take a conservative position on anything, unless of course it is to protect his own liberal ideals. A wrestling match between the Mayor and the City Board of Supervisors is brewing and it could get real nasty even before the bell rings.In this corner is the ultra-liberal Mayor of the foggy city wearing a black lycra/wool blend and a $500 tie. The metropolis he represents is a sanctuary city for illegal aliens.
And in this corner is Supervisor David Campos, himself an illegal alien in subtle gray pinstripes with a red Boutonnière. He's taking on the Mayor in a showdown for liberal bragging rights. Right now, Campos is the odds-on favorite as he has a veto proof majority in his back pocket.
At issue is the definition of when the city must notify the feds when a juvenile illegal alien is arrested for a felony. Newsom instituted a policy last year which requires the city to dial up Immigracion when a juvenile illegal is arrested for a felony and faces possible deportation. The Mayor's spokesman told the San Francisco Chronicle:
"Our sanctuary city policy is designed to protect our residents, regardless of immigration status, but it is not a shield for criminal behavior, and the mayor won't let it be used that way," Nathan Ballard said. "If you are booked for a felony, you have lost the protection of the sanctuary city policy."
Campos has been lobbying the board of public safety for a less restrictive measure and has their approval. He argues that juveniles, brought here illegally against their will, should not face deportation unless they have been convicted of a felony. He is afraid of breaking up families before the juvenile can receive due process.
Federal law requires the city to notify the authorities when the juvenile is arrested. Should the San Francisco Board of Supervisors violate this federal mandate it not only may face individual charges but jeopardizes the entire sanctuary city policy en total. Additionally it places the city's defense against sizable lawsuits in jeopardy like in the case of the Bologna family.
The two sides are taking each other on to prove who is the ultra-grande liberal and in the process the American people and citizens of San Francisco may ultimately win as the Sanctuary City policy finally meets its' match in court. The Board will vote on it later in the month. Watch for the fur to start flying in both directions.
Don't look now but I think someone just put on a mask and threw a chicken in the ring.
Carl Braun is an analyst for the Homeland Security Policy Institute Group and he's logged 5,000-plus hours on the border. He has written several books including his most recent on Border Insecurity, “Above All Else”
. Contact Carl at Carl.Braun@BPAUX.org.
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