Sanctuary cities are all the rage with the liberal elite, but you can find plenty of so-called Republican bleeding hearts to help them. People who have decided that rule of law is situational, not foundational.
That is not the rule of law. It is the rule of man, ruled by emotion. It leads to a corrupt system of carve-outs based on ever-changing political interests, discrimination, and rampant injustice.
It is also challenging to live and work – or run a business – in a nation where the laws may or may not apply on a given day, week, month, or year.
In the interest of clarifying the need to follow existing law as written on citizenship status, the NH House just passed HB1266.
The state of New Hampshire, a political subdivision of this state, or any person acting under the color of state, county, or municipal law shall not adopt or enforce any law or policy that prohibits the state of New Hampshire, a political subdivision of this state, or any person acting under the color of state, county, or municipal law from cooperating with the enforcement of federal immigration laws, including but not limited to 8 U.S.C. 1373 with respect to a person who has been detained by or is already in the custody of the state, county, or local law enforcement agency for a suspected violation of state law to include the enforcement of arrest warrants issued by the courts.
Sanctuary cities defy federal law, and sometimes federal lawmakers and the Chief Executive are inclined to look the other way when they do.
Congress could rewrite the laws to accommodate their bleeding hearts, which might cost them votes or seats. Many Americans object, and many immigrants who did it the right way.
They could rewrite the law to encourage states to develop enforcement strategies allowing those that wanted it to the ability to declare sanctuary status without breaking the law, but many would create enforcement laws the Libs don’t like.
The best course for the liberal elite is to leave well enough alone and refuse to enforce the law as written. And that’s worked well for them, but New Hampshire is a Dillons rule State. No government at any level can do a thing if the Legislature has not granted them the authority.
You’d be right to ask where then does that happen on the matter of sanctuary cities or towns? It doesn’t. They don’t have it. We should not need HB1266. But there is this need to clarify the facts by stating clearly that this power has not been granted,
Will it matter?
Only if someone bothers to add some enforcement mechanism or penalty to HB1266 (I don’t see one), and we one day have an AG willing to enforce that without treating it like sanctuary city policy now – as in if and when someone feels like it.
