The number of jurisdictions with sanctuary policies for illegal aliens have risen to an estimated 340 from 276 in July, according to an updated CIS study. The refusal of local authorities to give custody of deportable criminal aliens to ICE has resulted in the release of around 1,000 criminal aliens per month.
ICE data shows that from January 1 to September 30, 2014 around 9,295 criminal aliens were released. 5,947 (62%) of those released had a significant prior criminal history, 58% had a prior felony charges or convictions, 37% had serious misdemeanor charges, and 5% had multiple prior misdemeanors.
The murder of Kate Steinle by an illegal criminal alien in July brought national attention to the safety problems sanctuary city policies can have on a community. This week Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) introduced the bill, "Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act" (S.2146), which would withhold certain federal funding to the jurisdictions obstructing federal immigration law enforcement and provide legal protection for local law enforcement when they cooperate with federal authorities seeking custody of criminal aliens.
"Our elected officials must not sit back and watch these sanctuary jurisdictions continue to release thousands of criminal aliens back into our communities in defiance of ICE efforts to deport them, and then witness the harm that inevitably ensues when these removable offenders strike again,” said Jessica Vaughan, Director of Policy Studies at the Center for Immigration Studies.
CIS has an updated map of all the current sanctuary cities in the United States. You can see the map and the full report at the Center for Immigration Studies.
