Sessions Blocking Sanctuary City Funds Poses Threat to Public Safety

Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ directive to cut law enforcement funding for Chicago and other sanctuary cities for not complying with an order to work with immigration authorities will compromise public safety, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA) spokesperson Jorge-Mario Cabrera told Sputnik.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — On Monday, Sessions threatened to block federal law enforcement funding to Chicago after the city sued the Justice Department for withholding grants for so-called sanctuary cities, or cities which do not disclose information to federal authorities about illegal immigrants.

"Not having the money to buy necessary equipment puts everyone’s safety at risk," Cabrera said. "It could end up costing people’s lives and public safety will be eroded if DOJ [Department of Justice] continues down this dangerous path of bullying local police departments into submission in order to follow immigration enforcement shenanigans."

Cabrera said the state of California will soon join the legal battle. Law enforcement works to protect communities and should not be used as an extension of the immigration department, he added.

On January 25, President Donald Trump ordered the resumption of the 2008 Secure Communities program that relied on information-sharing among local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to identify and deport immigrants with criminal records.