Pennsylvania Lawmakers Question If the State Should Be a Sanctuary State

by Lauren Jessop   To be, or not to be, a sanctuary state – that is the question Pennsylvania lawmakers will attempt to answer as they seek support for two diametrically opposed House bills. A Democrat-sponsored version would limit local police assistance with immigration enforcement. A Republican-sponsored bill, in contrast, wants to prevent local governments from designating themselves as “sanctuary.” The common thread between the two is safer communities; one side claims sanctuary policies make them safer, and the other says they threaten the safety of legal citizens. Rep. Jose Giral, D-Philadelphia, is reintroducing legislation from a previous session that would prohibit police from spending resources on immigration enforcement and state postsecondary educational institutions from “enacting or enforcing discriminatory immigration enforcement policies.” In a memo, Giral (pictured above, left) said, “forcing local police agencies to devote resources to immigration enforcement simultaneously makes it harder for them to investigate crimes and wastes taxpayer money.” Giral’s office did not respond to The Center Square’s request for comment. Rep. Ryan Warner, R-Connellsville, wants to prevent local governments from enacting sanctuary polices. Warner (pictured above, right) told The Center Square he believes encouraging illegal immigration is dangerous, irresponsible, and insulting to those who entered the country legally. “It…

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Pennsylvania House Democrats Want to Ban Law Enforcement from Pursuing Illegal Immigrants

Pennsylvania House Democrats this week proposed a measure called the “Police and Community Safety Act” whose sole purpose is barring police and campus-security agencies from enforcing immigration laws. 

Spearheaded by Philadelphia Democrats Jose Giral and Chris Rabb, the bill resembles legislation the latter introduced unsuccessfully in 2017.

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Gavin Newsom Signs Bill Making California Sanctuary State for Parents Seeking Child Transgender Surgery

California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) signed a bill (SB-107) into law Thursday that makes his state a safe haven for parents who want their gender dysphoric children to be treated with drugs and surgeries when their own states have attempted to protect minors from such life-altering interventions.

“In California we believe in equality and acceptance,” Newsom said in his signing message. “We believe that no one should be prosecuted or persecuted for getting the care they need – including gender-affirming care.”

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California Sanctuary Laws Allowed Illegal Immigrant Who Tried to Kill a Cop Remain in the US, ICE Claims

by Jason Hopkins   Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials claim a deadly shootout between an illegal immigrant and a sheriff’s deputy could have been prevented if California sanctuary laws allowed them to do their job. A deadly shootout on Sunday took place between a cop and a Mexican national. During a routine traffic stop in Napa County, California, Javier Hernandez Morales, 48, attempted to shoot Napa County Sheriff’s Deputy Riley Jarecki. Jarecki was able to maneuver away and return fire, killing Hernandez Morales at the scene. Footage of the shootout was captured on the deputy sheriff’s body camera. Hernandez Morales, who had been living in the U.S. illegally, was no stranger to law enforcement. He had been deported back to his home country of Mexico twice in 2007 and once more in 2010. However, since that time, local law enforcement officials refused to work with ICE on deporting him again, despite various crimes. ICE lodged four different detainers for Hernandez Morales relating to battery of a peace officer, suspicion of driving while intoxicated, selling liquor to a minor and probation violations. The detainers, according to ICE, were sent to Napa County Jail in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and anther was issued to Sonoma County Jail in…

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Prankster ‘Welcomes’ California’s Sanctuary State Status

California became an official sanctuary state at the start of 2018, and at least one prankster mockingly marked the occasion with fake “Welcome” road signs. The California Department of Transportation confirmed the discovery of five official-looking signs declaring the state as an “official sanctuary state,” the Washington Examiner reported Jan. 2. The signs are posted underneath official “Welcome to California” highway signs and appear genuine. There were no reports of the identity of the prankster or pranksters. A sanctuary city, or state, is one in which federal immigration policies will not be honored. One sign posted on Interstate 15 at Mountain Pass near the California-Nevada border has been taken down, California Department of Transportation spokesman Mark Dinger told the Washington Examiner. There was no word on the fate of the other fake signs. The Alternative News Media’s Instagram page showed a photo of one of the signs, which reads, “OFFICIAL SANCTUARY STATE Felons, Illegals and MS13 Welcome! Democrats Need The Votes!” The state seal and a logo with the Democratic Party’s donkey mascot adorn the fake signs as well. The law that took effect on Jan. 1 prevents police from asking people about their immigration status or participating in federal immigration…

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