Fox'News', ever eager to over-simplify the often complex issue of illegal immigration, is quick to assume that if you have entered this country illegally that you are: a drug dealer, or a murderer, maybe a rapist, or terrorist, or simply are attempting to 'take advantage' of America in some way.
During the 8/23 installment of The O'Reilly Factor, Bill had on two congresswomen ( Marsha Blackburn : R-TN and Thelma Drake : R-VA ) who are trying to push through legislation that says any so-called "sanctuary city" could lose ALL federal funding if any 'non-citizen' is arrested for ANYTHING and ICE is not notified.
So, what could this really mean? My thoughts below the fold.
Perhaps it is my particular take on what this could mean, or maybe it's that this piece of legislation is just that ridiculous. Considering the broad range of 'federal' funds available to virtually any and every populated location in the US, the 'punishment' doesn't exactly seem to fit the 'crime'; to use the tried and true cliche. So, let's take a look at some of the main elements of the Bill, a list of 'sanctuary cities' that Bill has posted on his website, and what this could potentially mean.
Key portions of the proposed "Charlie Norwood CLEAR Act of 2007":
- Local and State authorities are authorized to detain 'criminal' illegal-aliens
- There will be SCA (State Criminal Alien) Funds set aside to "incentivise" those working with the Feds
- Funds will be withheld from those not working to detain and deport criminal illegal aliens
- The NCIC (National Crime Information Center) database will be available to the cop on the street
O'Reilly's 'addition' to the legislation would like there to be a 48 hour timeframe of notification to the Feds.
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So, what locations are on Bill's list of 'sanctuary cities'?
Alaska : Senator Ted Stevens (R) / Senator Lisa Murkowski (R)
(Representative Don Young : R - Alaska At Large)
-- Anchorage
-- Fairbanks
Arizona : Senator John McCain (R) / Senator Jon Kyl (R)
-- Chandler : Representative Rick Renzi (R)
California : Senator Dianne Feinstein (D) / Senator Barbara Boxer (D)
-- Fresno : Representative Dennis Cardoza (D)
-- Los Angeles : Representative Hilda A. Solis (D)
-- San Diego : Representative Brian Bilbray (R)
-- San Francisco : Representative Nancy Pelosi (D)
-- Sonoma County : Representative Lynn C. Woolsey (D)
Connecticut : Senator Joseph I. Lieberman (ID) / Senator Christopher J. Dodd (D)
-- New Haven : Representative Rosa L. DeLauro (D)
Illinois : Senator Richard J. Durbin (D) / Senator Barack Obama (D)
-- Evanston : Representative Janice Schakowsky (D)
-- Cicero : Representative Dan Lipinski (D)
Massachusetts : Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D) / Senator John F. Kerry (D)
-- Cambridge : Representative Michael Capuano (D)
-- Orleans : Representative Bill Delahunt (D)
Maine : Senator Olympia Snowe (R) / Senator Susan Collins (R)
-- Portland : Representative Thomas H. Allen (D)
Maryland : Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D) / Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D)
-- Baltimore : Representative Albert Russell Wynn (D)
-- Takoma Park : Representative Christopher Van Hollen, Jr. (D)
Michigan : Senator Carl Levin (D) / Senator Debbie A. Stabenow (D)
-- Ann Arbor : Representative John D. Dingell (D)
-- Detroit : Representative Carolyn Kilpatrick (D)
Minnesota : Senator Norm Coleman (R) / Senator Amy Klobuchar (D)
-- Minneapolis : Representative Keith Ellison (D)
North Carolina : Senator Elizabeth Dole (R) / Senator Richard Burr (R)
-- Durham : Representative David E. Price (D)
New Mexico : Senator Pete V. Domenici (R) / Senator Jeff Bingaman (D)
-- Albuquerque : Representative Heather A. Wilson (R)
-- Aztec : Representative Thomas Udall (D)
-- Rio Arriba County : Representative Thomas Udall (D)
-- Santa Fe : Representative Steve Pearce (R)
New York : Senator Charles Schumer (D) / Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D)
-- New York City : Representative Gary L. Ackerman (D)
Representative Gregory W. Meeks (D)
Representative Joseph Crowley (D)
Representative Jerrold Nadler (D)
Representative Anthony Weiner (D)
Representative Edolphus Towns (D)
Representative Yvette Clarke (D)
Representative Nydia M. Velazquez (D)
Representative Vito Fossella (R)
Representative Carolyn B. Maloney (D)
Representative Charles B. Rangel (D)
Representative Jose E. Serrano (D)
Representative Eliot L. Engel (D)
Oregon : Senator Ron Wyden (D) / Senator Gordon Smith (R)
-- Ashland : Representative Greg Walden (R)
-- Gaston : Representative David Wu (D)
-- Marion County : Representative David Wu (D)
Texas : Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) / Senator John Cornyn (R)
-- Austin : Representative Ron Paul (R)
-- Katy : Representative Nick Lampson (D)
Washington : Senator Patty Murray (D) / Senator Maria Cantwell (D)
-- Seattle : Representative Jim McDermott (D)
Wisconsin : Senator Herb Kohl (D) / Senator Russell D. Feingold (D)
-- Madison : Representative Tammy Baldwin (D)
And, here's the breakdown:
Senate: 59% (D) 41% (R)
Congressional: 86% (D) 14% (R)
Obviously, these locations are not leaning heavily to the right if you look at the basic numbers. Perhaps this is not the best way to look at the information, but considering our source of this list I feel it is fair to say that partisonship plays into this more than most will consider at first glance.
According to Bill's website, this list was taken from a CRS report from June of this year. But, after searching the 'open' CRS website, the report doesn't appear to be available to the 'general' public even though there are literally thousands on the site availble for anyone to read.
Maybe i'm approaching this incorrectly due to my distrust of O'Reilly and his staff. Let's continue.
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Federal Funding can go to a variety of State and Local governments as well as people in the private sector such as: Native Americans, homeowners, students, farmers, artists, scientists, consumers, small businesses, refugees, aliens, veterans, senior citizens, low-income persons, health and education professionals, builders, contractors, developers, handicapped persons, and the physically afflicted. Examples of direct assistance to these individuals include Section 8 vouchers, Pell Grant scholarships, and disaster relief awards.
Here's a hypothetical situation.
The bill becomes 'law' and a few months later a non-citizen is stopped in Boston for driving on a suspended license and is arrested. The police don't report the incident to ICE. According to their 'record' he/she has two prior 'minor' offenses. The individual that is arrested has had 'residence' in Detroit for 6 years and was only in Boston on vacation. He/She posts bail and is released. That same week, officers in Detroit arrest a non-citizen and report the incident to ICE within 24 hours. An anonymous tip is given to Federal agents that the arresting officer from Boston did not report the 'illegal' status of the person arrested.
So, what city is cited as being non-compliant? Boston for not reporting the incident, or Detroit for allowing residence to a non-citizen? Both, perhaps? According to the 'list' that O'Reilly cited, Boston is not a 'sanctuary' city. Who(m) will draw up an 'official' list of 'sanctuary' cities and what 'qualifiers' will there be in order for a location to be labeled one that gives 'sanctuary'?
The shear obsurdity of this proposed piece of legislation is stagering. What funds would/could be cut should this all come to pass? Housing? Education? Disaster Relief?
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I'm certain that there are many people more adept than myself at addressing this type of thing, but i just wanted to throw this out and see what everyone thought.