Which Way, New York? Will Feds Tolerate Local Obstruction of Immigration Enforcement?

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The New York City Council is poised to adopt an ordinance that is designed to severely limit the ability of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the federal immigration enforcement agency, to identify and remove illegal aliens from the city correctional system. If adopted, the city will join a small list of large cities, including San Francisco, Washington, Chicago, and San Jose, that deliberately obstruct ICE's operations.

A new Center report, "Which Way, New York: Will Feds Tolerate Local Interference or Assert Their Authority?" is available online at: http://cis.org/nyc-local-interference.  It examines New York City's policies and practices and the effect they have on public safety and federal enforcement efforts. It questions the federal government's passive acceptance of these sanctuary policies and recommends actions that can be taken to discourage such developments.

Key findings:

• Three-quarters of all foreign-born arrests in the entire state of New York occur in New York City (NYC). In 2008, the latest year for which data are available, local officers arrested 52,827 immigrants in NYC.
• For at least 20 years, NYC has had official policies impeding the enforcement of federal immigration laws. City policies prevent ICE agents from receiving notification of arrested aliens before their release from police custody.
• In September 2009, NYC's Department of Correction adopted, and has since maintained, particularly obstructive policies and procedures for immigration officers and agents attempting to access criminal alien inmates housed in its detention facilities. Jail staff are required to follow procedures that actively encourage aliens to refuse to speak with ICE agents.
• Since the implementation of these procedures, the number of aliens charged with immigration violations at the city's main detention facility has been cut nearly in half.
• Notwithstanding its lack of cooperation, NYC has garnered millions of dollars each year in federal SCAAP (State Criminal Alien Assistance Program) funds since the inception of this program to reimburse jurisdictions for the costs of incarcerating illegal aliens criminals.
• Despite all of the above facts, the federal government has never taken action to overcome the obstacles placed in its way by NYC – either through lawsuits, withholding of funding, or executive action – so that it can perform its job of immigration law enforcement in the most effective and efficient way possible.

The Center for Immigration Studies is an independent research institute that examines the impact of immigration on the United States.

Contact: Jessica Vaughan
(508) 346-3380, [email protected]

SOURCE Center for Immigration Studies

WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?

440k+
Newsrooms &
Influencers

9k+
Digital Media
Outlets

270k+
Journalists
Opted In

GET STARTED