‘Sanctuary cities’ become safe zones for wrongdoing by foreign nationals

The tragic murder of a San Francisco woman by a foreign national who had been deported several times has reignited the debate over so-called sanctuary cities, the term for local governments that openly hinder or don’t assist in federal immigration enforcement. Texas has several cities where police don’t hinder federal enforcement, but don’t ask immigration status at all. Supporters say sanctuary allows police to connect with immigrants and strengthen public safety. Opponents say any cities hindering enforcement should be denied federal funding. What is your opinion?

The answer is obvious. Tens of thousands of foreign nationals who have violated the law are currently roaming the streets and are left to conduct more illegal acts.

By shielding those violators, sanctuary cities are aiding and abetting lawbreakers and are accomplices to any violent crime they commit.

— Gary Hancock, Arlington

This is a win-win situation.

Our federal government is in debt. Stop paying for flights back to Central and South American countries.

Put detained immigration violators on buses and drop them off in the middle of the closest sanctuary city. No more long rides to the border.

Federal money for crimefighting should be apportioned according to the percentage of crime in each city by legal residents.

Those with religious or liberal leanings who support sanctuary will be glad to have their taxes raised.

I don’t care what anyone does. Just stop asking me to pay for it.

— Mike Cahill, Arlington

How could a city that provides safe harbor to violators not be more dangerous?

And for taxpayers to provide funds to those cities whose policy is to harbor violators in and of itself ought to be criminal.

Hopefully, Congress will expeditiously address this egregious behavior and at the very least discontinue taxpayer funding of it.

— Joseph Ansley, Fort Worth

Ridiculous! These are little pockets of Mexico within our nation shunning our standards and laws, self-policing and reporting violations only as is beneficial to each violator. Lawbreakers roam at will due to leftists’ fear of offending someone.

Stop foreign aid to Mexico. We already foot the bill for much — including food stamps, living expenses, and medical care — while they wire their earnings to family in Mexico.

Leadership with a strong backbone is what our nation needs, lest we fall into Third World status. Let’s get real and stop criticizing those who tell it like it is.

— Eva Snapka, Arlington

Any city that sets itself up as a “sanctuary city” and defies federal law should be denied federal funding and those responsible officials should be prosecuted.

The federal laws on immigration enforcement are very weak, and to further weaken them is insane.

It is particularly bad when these cities protect convicts who have been deported yet return to the U.S.

These actions by sanctuary cities put the law-abiding general public at risk, as has been demonstrated in recent weeks.

— Walter H. Delashmit, Justin

It will probably come as a surprise to progressive liberals that sanctuary was originally a legal way to protect Christians from religious persecution.

Yes, the state recognized the authority of the church.

Now, as with most supposed well-meaning but ultimately destructive Democratic ideas, sanctuary cities are nothing more than breeding grounds for further lawbreaking. Sanctuary cities should be denied federal funding.

Who wants their tax money used to support lawbreaking? When those here illegally commit crimes, the consequences should include expedited deportation.

— Ralph M. Gill, Gruene

While watching ABC’s coverage of the murder of Kathryn Steinle, allegedly by Juan Francisco Lopez, I was taken aback by the reference to him as an undocumented immigrant.

What does undocumented mean? It means they can’t prove legal status. The liberal media’s refusal to use the term illegal isn’t a matter of political correctness, it’s pandering.

— Robert Kai, Keller

Suppose the local government of Community X decides to ignore civil rights laws. This would mean that certain racial and ethnic minorities would not be allowed to rent or buy property.

Other minorities in residence would likely have crosses burned in their yards and be subjected to other types of harassment. This concept of “sanctuary cities” is creating a dangerous precedent.

— John C. Roman, Fort Worth

Sanctuary cities create an imminent threat to American citizens and those in the U.S. legally.

If any city, county, state or federal official releases or refuses to hold for deportation a foreign national who’s in the country illegally, that official should be put in prison if the immigration violator is released and commits a crime.

— Troy Worthy, Hurst

This story was originally published July 17, 2015 at 7:03 PM with the headline "‘Sanctuary cities’ become safe zones for wrongdoing by foreign nationals."