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…
Read the full storyPennsylvania Lawmakers Question If the State Should Be a Sanctuary State
