Yesterday, President Trump and VP Pence hosted the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the nation's largest police union and a big supporter of Trump's 2016 campaign, at the White House as part of his effort to keep an 'open dialogue' with law enforcement officials of the country.
It was an honor to welcome @GLFOP to the @WhiteHouse today with @VP Pence & Attorney General Sessions. THANK YOU for all you do 24/7/365! pic.twitter.com/UOKsiqMpsx
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2017
But the meeting likely got a little more controversial than expected when FOP Executive Director Jim Pasco pressed Trump on his decision to de-fund so-called 'sanctuary cities'...a move which he argued would "endanger public safety." Per Reuters:
Leaders of the largest police union in the United States have warned President Donald Trump that he could endanger public safety if he follows through with cuts in federal grants to immigrant "sanctuary cities," the union's director told Reuters after a White House meeting.
In a move that concerned the Fraternal Order of Police, one of Trump's biggest supporters in the 2016 election campaign, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said on Monday that the Justice Department would restrict grants to jurisdictions that do not cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
Sanctuary cities, such as San Francisco and New York, refuse to cooperate sometimes by not notifying Department of Homeland Security agents when illegal immigrants are being released from incarceration.
Dozens of local governments and cities have joined a "sanctuary" movement aimed at protecting immigrants. Trump has vowed to crack down on illegal immigration and in general, these cities offer safe harbor and often do not use municipal funds or resources to advance the enforcement of federal immigration laws.
We have to presume that Pasco overlooked the inherent irony of suggesting that the federal government taking steps to actually require state and local municipalities to enforce laws would make cities less safe.
Of course, the comments followed Attorney General Jeff Sessions' surprise appearance at Sean Spicer's daily White House press briefing earlier this week to announce that his DOJ would be taking steps to not only require that so-called "sanctuary cities" enforce federal immigration laws but would also be seeking to claw back past DOJ awards granted to those cities if they refuse to certify compliance.
"Today, I'm urging states and local jurisdictions to comply with these federal laws. Moreover, the Department of Justice will require that jurisdictions seeking or applying for DOJ grants to certify compliance with 1373 as a condition for receiving those awards."
"This policy is entirely consistent with the DOJ's Office of Justice Programs guidance that was issued just last summer under the previous administration."
"This guidance requires jurisdictions to comply and certify compliance with Section 1373 in order to be eligible for OJP grants. It also made clear that failure to remedy violations could result in withholding grants, termination of grants and disbarment or ineligibility for future grants."
"The DOJ will also take all lawful steps to claw back any fines awarded to a jurisdiction that willfully violates Section 1373."
Sessions' full comments can be viewed below:
Attorney General Sessions says sanctuary cities 'cannot continue' https://t.co/YiS9doT3IE pic.twitter.com/nGmICgmiA6
— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) March 27, 2017
Of course, all of this just serves to once again illustrate why government only grows larger and more corrupt...because the guy looking to rein in spending or enforce some level of discipline is an easy political target...that said, we're not sure the current President plays such games.