Late yesterday, Homeland Security listed over 500 counties, cities and states it considers "sanctuary" jurisdictions. Among the 11 Pa. counties included are NorCo and Lehigh. Five Pa cities (Gettysburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, State College and York) are also included.
A memo that accompanies this listing includes the following explanation:
Executive Order 14287: Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens requires that a list of states and local jurisdictions that obstruct the enforcement of Federal immigration laws (sanctuary jurisdictions) be published. Sanctuary jurisdictions including cities, counties, and states that are deliberately and shamefully obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws endangering American communities. Sanctuary cities protect dangerous criminal aliens from facing consequences and put law enforcement in peril.
The list below was created to identify sanctuary jurisdictions, which are determined by factors like compliance with federal law enforcement, information restrictions, and legal protections for illegal aliens.
Each jurisdiction listed will receive formal notification of its non-compliance with Federal statutes. DHS demands that these jurisdictions immediately review and revise their policies to align with Federal immigration laws and renew their obligation to protect American citizens, not dangerous illegal aliens.
Note that the list can be reviewed and changed at any time and will be updated regularly. No one should act on this information without conducting their own evaluation of the information.
U.S. Rep Ryan Mackenzie (Pa.-7), at a Homeland Security Committee hearing on May 14, said that sanctuary counties, which presumably includes two of the counties he represents, "are more focused on defending these violent criminals from deportation than they are in protecting American citizens in our local communities." He criticized NorCo Executive Lamont McClure's executive order, "which bans ICE from arresting illegal immigrants when they're going through processing for a separate crime. And what this means in practice is that when ICE wants to go arrest a violent member of Tren de Agua or a domestic abuser who is going through the processing in our local community, they cannot go inside that courthouse and actually arrest that person. They have to stake out the courthouse, outside, taking up hours of resources from law enforcement, potentially leaving our community more vulnerable if that person were to go out a different exit of the courthouse and escape into our local community, they would be free to reign terror all across our beautiful Lehigh Valley."
Mackenzie's characterization of Northampton County's policy, enacted after an ICE officer arrested an undocumented immigrant walking out of a courtroom in 2020, is completely disingenuous. (You can read it here). Call this person an illegal alien if that makes you feel better. What happened is that an out-of uniform ICE officer, clad in jeans and a "Pro God Pro Gun Protected" T-shirt, conducted a warrantless arrest of an undocumented immigrant inside the courthouse. It made no difference that this person was married to an American citizen, gainfully employed and a licensed driver who has paid his taxes for the past 10 years. It made no difference that he was just inches away from getting his green card. He was carted away in handcuffs, destination unknown.
The Executive Order that McClure issued in no way bans ICE from entering the courthouse. That's sheer nonsense. What his order does provide is that, after a judge relinquishes jurisdiction, the county will hold an alleged illegal for up to 48 hours if a detainer has been issued. During that time, ICE can seek a warrant from a federal judge, which is fairly easy to obtain.
The reason for seeking a warrant is because that's what's Lehigh County found out the hard way. Galzara, a US citizen, was improperly held in Lehigh's jail because of an immigration detainer that ICE had incorrectly lodged. The Third Circuit (one stop below the Supremes) ruled that "immigration detainers do not and cannot compel a state or local law enforcement agency to detain suspected aliens subject to removal." An ICE detainer is nothing more than a "request." Northampton County will honor an ICE detainer by holding a suspected illegal for 48 hours, but wants to see a warrant before handing him over to ICE,
Mackenzie talks about protecting American citizens but fails to point out that this includes protecting taxpayers from paying out huge settlements. ICE does tend to have a large number of cowboys who have been detaining US citizens simply because they speak Spanish. Why should NorCo or Lehigh County taxpayers pay for ICE stupidity?
Now ICE can refuse to get a warrant and just hang around the jail when an undocumented immigrant is released. But that's because ICE is wasting manpower, not the county. All ICE has to do is obtain a warrant from a neutral judge who will make sure they are actually arresting someone who is here illegally and not because he speaks another language.
Mackenzie also complains that a defendant released from a jail can slip out a side exit. It's a jail, Ryan. There's only one way out. Sorry.
Lehigh County denies it is a sanctuary county:
"Lehigh County respects the dignity and basic humanity of every person within our borders, however, we strongly disagree with the position of some entities that our policies make us a sanctuary county. We do not shelter undocumented immigrants, nor do we interfere with any law enforcement agency or its efforts to identify and remove people who may be here unlawfully.
"Lehigh County cooperates with US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to the fullest extent legally possible, in compliance with the Third Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Galarza v. Szalczyk, 745 F.3d 634 (2014). We notify ICE, if possible, any time an undocumented person is detained in the jail by other authorities, so that ICE may pursue the necessary steps to take the person into custody when the detainer is dissolved."
NorCo Exec Lamont McClure provided this response to seeing his county named as a sanctuary:
"Northampton County acknowledges the Federal Government’s important responsibility to enforce our Nation’s Immigration laws. That is why we fully cooperate with I.C.E. consistent with the Pennsylvania and United States Constitutions. We cooperate as we agree that undocumented persons who commit crimes should be deported. We honor I.C.E. Immigration detainers for up to 48 hours. (Well in excess of what most jurisdictions do.)
"While I.C.E. is aware our policy requires a court order to remand an undocumented person into their custody, who has been otherwise freed by a judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Northampton County, they routinely refuse to obtain constitutionally guaranteed process. Even so, we will inform I.C.E. of the date and time of the release of the undocumented person. We will even work with I.C.E. to release the undocumented person at its convenience. We do this even though it is clear that the law does not require local governments to assist the Federal Government in enforcing immigration laws. Northampton County’s inclusion on this list is nothing more than naked MAGA politics."
74 comments:
MCClure didn’t fully corporate with ICE. ICE has publicly denounced his actions.
You say ICE can just get a warrant…… or, just maybe, Northampton and Lamount can just work with ICE and hand over violent criminals safely in the prison. Just a thought.
If the feds won't follow due process, screw 'em.
Americans, from grocery stores to amusement parks, HATE line jumpers. Go back and follow due process and try again - legally. Jumping the line is unfair to those waiting legally to enter. Why is this so difficult for radical Ds to understand? If your first act on US soil is to break the law, GTFO. McClure played cute and put LEOs and his citizens in danger. That's evil. He's going to lose his primary. That's a shame because his lawlessness and dangerous attitude toward LEOs and innocent Northampton County citizens should be debated and loudly publicized.
For you to claim ICE is detaining people simply because they are speaking Spanish is absurd. You should be ashamed of yourself!
Look around you, Bernie. This nation has been seriously weakened by a Democrat policy of wide open borders. It will take years to recover from this. One step is to locate persons who came in the “wrong way,” or hid out after refusing to appear for hearings. If details on their presence can be cleared-up, many can try entry again . . . . the RIGHT way.
"Who will pick our crops?"
- Lamont McClure, 2025
- John C. Calhoun, 1837
Makenzie is grasping at straws here and his stupidity will cost NORCO taxpayers money or will result in cuts in services
Go Trump clean up this coutry you were voted in by a landslide.
Anything “sanctuary” is a violation of federal law. If you don’t like the law, change it. Biden said he couldn’t close the border without legislation. Trump closed it in 5 minutes. Speaking of Biden, when is the post about the biggest political scandal since Watergate?
Think it’s time that ICE drop the terrorist face covers and provide proof of their identity to legal citizens asking legitimately who they represent and why they are at the location. It would be a travesty if they themselves are mistaken as criminals or terrorists.
Who verifies that they are criminals?
These counties are full of too many Trump deranged people These people do anything to get Trump even if it hurts our country.
Lots of issues to ponder on all sides here. Your sarcastic remark directed to Rep. Mackenzie that “it’s a jail and there is only one way out” seems misdirected, however, because in your story the Congressman’s quote about arresting someone refers to leaving the courthouse.
The reprieve was nice- while it lasted. From now till November, you're going to bash everything Trump and McKenzie, and continue to carry water for McClure. I wish you and your party would spend as much time focusing on the over 500K missing & exploited children from your reckless border policies. No wonder your party is leaderless, rudderless, and heading towards a cliff.
You continue your Trump hatred and wonder why you lose elections. Its simple: We want CRIMINALS OFF OUR STREETS.
Your always on the wrong side of every 80/20 issue. So what's your plan on getting criminal illegals off the streets? Fly to El Salvador for a photo op? Your constant bashing of anything Trump shows just how shallow you are.
Yea, just like the illegals who followed the laws when they illegally entered our country.
8:51, And Mackenzie was wrong There is no prohibition on ICE entering the courthouse. So the only place where they would be restricted would be at the jail.
6:14, That is precisely what happened. I linked to the news article. A PR family was taken into custody in Milwaukee after being overheard speaking Spanish. They included a grandmother, mother and toddler. They were not violent criminals, but Americans who were shopping. I have no issue with deporting violent criminals. I do have an issue with rounding up Americans as ICE has been doing.
It's pretty simple, if you want Northampton County to be a sanctuary county for illegal aliens, vote democrat.
If you want Northampton county to work with federal authorities and remove the sanctuary status, vote Tom Giovanni, John Brown, John Goffredo, Juan Martines, Sam Elias, and Dan Campo.
I highly doubt, as Bernie suggests, ICE officials are knocking on doors, walking the streets randomly, stopping people with “Show me your papers!” I think in 99% of interactions with the public ICE has seen a probable cause of infraction.
Oh, and this applies to persons of any and all cultures. Stop seeing a racist motive behind everything.
you need help
stupidity & Kraft are synonyms
Bernie, and his TDS would never do a story about that. Be prepared to read the daily bashing of Trump & McKenzie from now till November
The thing is with Trump, he will kick every can he can find over to watch the ants scatter. Can anyone tell me specifically what Lehigh, Northampton counties or any of the cities therein are doing to provide sanction to illegals?
If you are a Dem, you should be fearful
Trump making trouble where there was none. Wasting time and money. If a person is in court they are either there as an accuser, defendant, or witness regardless of citizenship. Let the courts do their jobs without interference. Fair and honest judgements can not be made if people are afraid to go to court and testify. People who are perceived as immigrants due to appearance or speech are terrified now. By the way, sanctuary cities were a Christian and Jewish idea and promoted by religious communities and churches. Maybe Trump should read one of those bibles he is selling.
I left the democrat party because it’s been off the rails since the Floyd riots. AOC is the defacto leader now, she supports Hamas and wants to abolish ICE. She’s sane compared to crazy Jasmine Crockett, the other face of the party today. Democrats support gang members and murderers like Luigi Mangione. They call destruction of property, like burning Teslas, “protesting.” They support antisemitism on college campuses. Could you imagine if it were black kids instead of Jewish kids that were scared to attend class? There would be riots!
Trump is a loud mouth narcissist but he’s still better than anything the Dems have to offer at this point. The Centrists are trying to take the party back from the socialists, they’re losing right now. If they continue losing, so will the party as a whole. Can anyone even tell who the leader of the democrat party is today? What do they stand for? Opposing Trump isn’t a platform.
I don't give a shit about 80/20. I care about what is right and what is wrong, not what is in vogue at the moment.
Cost taxpayers money? How much has your Democrat parties open border policies cost the taxpayers? When the governor of dark blue Massachusetts is crying about the billions she has to find to house and feed illegals at the expense of our citizens, now it’s MacKenzie costing taxpayers money? Wow! The pure arrogance is stunning.
Well, you could begin by telling us how many illegals are currently in Lehigh and Northampton County. I can’t, and neither can you.
I really believe the list is intended to remind everyone of what is expected in dealing with suspected and found illegals. You will notice the list adds up to include just about most of the United States. No harm in putting the information out there.
11:11, I at no time mentioned race. As I said before, I have no problem with detaining and deporting violent criminals who are not US citizens. ICE has detained and has even deported US citizens. I have no idea whether race was the motivating factor. I do know that ICE is, and always has been, full of cowboys. They are far too careless. Below are some examples of US citizens dEtained, and in some cases, deported. I'm sure you'll agree that this needs to stop and I agree that violent criminals who are here unlawfully should go:
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/tracking-us-citizens-children-detained-deported-ice-trump-updates.html
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/trumps-ice-detains-us-citizen-claiming-his-real-id-was-fake/ar-AA1FqexJ?ocid=BingNewsSerp
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/alabama-worker-says-ice-dragged-him-from-job-despite-being-us-citizen-color-of-our-skin-has-become-a-crime/ar-AA1FnhVG?ocid=BingNewsSerp
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/video-shows-ice-agents-briefly-detaining-us-citizen-outside-cambridge-district-court/ar-AA1EVZvO?ocid=BingNewsSerp
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/attorney-ice-detains-kansas-city-mother-a-us-citizen-with-no-criminal-record/ar-AA1FBV8n?ocid=BingNewsVerp
lol, if you call less than 2% a landslide. And when someone mentions the word ‘mandate’ you know a lie is following.
Please stick to the county politics where you do a great job. If Trump turned water into wine you would say it was cheap wine. We get it you hate him. My neighbor wears Trumps socks lol, with him Trump can do no wrong. I’m somewhere in the middle. I just wish you’d stop with this nonsense, it just shows how biased you are. Stick to the local stuff.
What is wrong is that millions entered our country ILLEGALLY!
Kicking cans? You need help for your TDS. I'm not a fan, but 1 thing about Trump is he's authentic, and does what he says. His message never changed from 2016.
You only write about a handful of cases that fit your agenda. Millions poured into our country illegally, and Trump secured the Border in a matter of days.
Sanctuary counties You have some sick people here.
I guess Ken is smart enough to weasel $105,234 in W-2 compensation and $74,123 in other compensation back in 2017 from the LUPAT District Council 21 Welfare Fund.
They're only going after the worst criminals- with Millions that poured in, yes, mistakes will be made, but stop with your sensationalizing!!
Ken, you realize that fat cat Rs love illegals because they keep union wages in check, right? You run political errands for the woke, at the expense of legal labor. That's pretty shitty. It's why Trump did so well with union membership - and in this county, in particular.
Get ready for months of this nonsense. If you and the rest of the media were at least fair, we wouldn't be so divided.
Tell that to Laken Riley's Mother & the rest of the families who lost children to criminal aliens.
Free housing under the guise of economic development? That's just one of the many tricks the circus carnival actors use locally.
Love immigrants. WE ARE A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS. It's true! That being said, get the illegals out. There is nothing more insulting to immigrants that worked their asses off to get here, paid their fees, and did the paperwork than letting criminals (yes, all illegal immigrants are criminals) stay in this country.
I left the Democrat party too- its unrecognizable anymore!
Agreed 100%
Instead of a knee-jerk reaction bashing the designation from McClure, why doesn’t he actually begin a conversation with ICE about how the county can do more to help them?
He won’t, because guess what? He doesn’t want criminal illegal aliens removed, but he doesn’t want to confirm that with the voters.
And if you doubt there’s a problem, I believe both Allentown and Bethlehem are trying to work around helping ICE by saying they are “Welcoming Cities” or some such drivel. There is also an effort to expand that to the county level.
So there is a problem here, and it would seem to me our county leadership could do more - if they wanted to.
The "Squad" Crockett are very ignorant and dangerous people- they're in it for the headlines. No wonder my party is lost in the wilderness.
What's vogue? So your OK with Millions of Illegals flooding our Country, and burdening all our Social Services while we run a $17T debt? LMFAO!
Glad you left….you obviously weren’t one
Some how, some way, the senior citizens have been short changed... we get our (quite reduced most likely to free up $$$ for the freeloaders...) Social Security payments. BUT, where are our EBT cards, housing vouchers, health care, phones, blah, blah, blah...??? The bennies of being here as an illegal are mind boggling... and let's not mention how the VA treats our veterans. Be an illegal and enjoy carte blanche on us, the stupid taxpayers. Sign me, FED UP!!!
Trump in 2016: he’d wipe out the national debt, that would be “easy.”
He added $8 trillion to it.
Got the union guy Ken Kraft on here defending this garbage. Illegal immigrants drive down wages. Hello Kraft wake up!
If Trump follows thru with mass immigration then Easton will no longer have a housing problem since much of the population will be gone in the West Ward. Not to mention the gun fire will be curtailed. I am sick of being in public places and feeling like I am at the United Nations as I am the only one speaking English.
"Welcoming" is a euphemism for Sanctuary.
Allentown & Bethlehem will never cooperate with ICE. " I'm all ears" Tuerk and Wee Willie Reynolds are too woke Mayors.
A friend spent years & several thousand dollars to become a LEGAL US citizen. He's appalled by your Party letting Millions of Illegals in.
I'd like to see McClure and Baratta arrested. To date, I understand they've not welcomed any MS13 or Tren de Aragua members into their comfortable homes. They release them onto Walnut Street and put that neighborhood in peril. All released gang members should be given cab fare and directions to Baratta's and McClure's estates. Their wives can make beds and prepare meals for our newcomers.
ICE screwed Lehigh County once, they won’t get either county again. If McClure wasn’t challenging McAbsent this wouldn’t be an issue
Where do you think all the excessive Covid 19 bailout money came from? Municipalities are still trying to figure out how to spend all of it.
Bernie is ok with what ever Lamont tells him to be ok with
Let the immigrants run wild in the Lehigh valley
Their record!
"Who will clean my pool and trim my gardens - under the table?"
"They're taking our slaves away again."
"Who will rape our wives and children?"
"McClure and Baratta, do something!!!"
you lack reading and comprehension skills i see
Lawfare, 90% media bashing and he won every swing state. Now go back to your patents basement.
We'll have to put up with your McKenzie bashing now for the next 1 1/2 years. How boring you've become!
I have relatives who teach in local school districts. The strain on them is overwhelming due to the influx of illegal immigration under Biden.
More than half of their students don’t speak English. They aren’t allowed to know where they’re from. There are days when 2 or 3 children show up without notice. There are days when students just stop showing up, off to other unknown places.
I’d gladly trade a million lazy Americans for 10 million immigrants who want to work hard. But the illegality of what we’ve endured is ridiculous.
We don’t know where a large percent of these people are. We don’t know who they are. Young males are rolled into gang activity to pay for their crossing. Hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied juveniles are unaccounted for.
We know who’s responsible for this calamity. And we know who’s running interference regarding solutions.
Over 4,200 commutations and pardons issued by “Biden” lol. Biden was a centrist his entire career. All of a sudden he’s a left wing crazy? I don’t think so. Who was running the country?
All true about the hardships placed on urban school districts. This includes Allentown School District that is overwhelmed with confusion due to a student population that changes by the day. Sometimes, no school or health records accompany these new students. The kids are immediately thrown in regular classrooms creating a difficult challenge for the teacher who finds him/herself ignoring most of the class to somehow incorporate these kids at any given time during the day. A beginning roster of 25 can switch out half the names before mid year.
Been there, done that. Thrilled to be out of that mess. Is it any wonder they can’t find enough substitute teachers and lose so many veteran teachers?
What happens to the contractor that gets caught with illegals working for him? Nothing they get deported and the contractor exploits the next group. Guess what it’s always a non-union contractor breaking the rules. Maybe they should be put in jail for hiring illegals
I agree! You can’t dispute that illegals drive down wages though. We used to punish people who employed illegals. I remember there were quite a few presidential cabinet nominations blown up when it was leaked they employed illegal household help. Now it’s ok I guess.
Don’t forget Trump was outspent by half a billion easy. Kamala had all the oligarchs backing her.
Post a Comment