Seattle sues Trump administration over threat to 'sanctuary' cities

[WVU82_rivals]

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-u...=topNews&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social


The city of Seattle sued U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Wednesday over its executive order seeking to withhold federal funds from "sanctuary cities," arguing it amounted to unconstitutional federal coercion.

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray told reporters the Constitution forbade the federal government from pressuring cities, “yet that is exactly what the president’s order does. Once again, this new administration has decided to bully.”

“Things like grants helping us with child sex trafficking are not connected to immigration,” Murray said, adding: "It is time for cities to stand up and ask the courts to put an end to the anxiety in our cities and the chaos in our system."

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions threatened on Monday to strip Justice Department grants from cities and other local governments that choose to shield illegal immigrants from deportation efforts.

Trump, who made tougher immigration enforcement a cornerstone of his campaign, directed the government in his Jan. 25 executive order to cut off funding to sanctuary jurisdictions. That order has yet to be put into effect, but Sessions' announcement seemed to be the first step in doing so.

Trump administration officials say the immigration crackdown is focused on illegal immigrants convicted of serious crimes.

Responding to the Seattle lawsuit, a U.S. Justice Department representative said in a statement: "Failure to deport aliens who are convicted of criminal offenses makes our nation less safe by putting dangerous criminals back on our streets."

Seattle’s action was the latest legal salvo over the Trump immigration order from local governments across the country, including the city of San Francisco and California’s Santa Clara County.

Police agencies in dozens of "sanctuary" cities, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, have barred their officers from routinely checking on immigration status when making arrests or traffic stops. They have also refused to detain people longer than otherwise warranted at the request of federal agents seeking to deport them.

Supporters of the policy argue that enlisting police cooperation in rounding up immigrants for removal undermines communities' trust in local police, particularly among Latinos.

Murray said the goal of Seattle's lawsuit was to have the courts declare that federal authorities “cannot force our local police officials to be involved in federal immigration activities.”

 

[DvlDog4WVU]

Murray said the goal of Seattle's lawsuit was to have the courts declare that federal authorities “cannot force our local police officials to be involved in federal immigration activities.”

Federal authorities cannot force us to enforce Federal law.

 

[WVUCOOPER]

Federal authorities cannot force us to enforce Federal law.

States' rights!

 

[Airport]

States' rights!

States' rights!

That's right, they can do with their money what they want, federal as strings attached to it. I suppose you support federal strings when states refuse to do something that you like?

 

[WVUCOOPER]

That's right, they can do with their money what they want, federal as strings attached to it. I suppose you support federal strings when states refuse to do something that you like?

Suppose all you want but you'd be wrong. I'm betting this administration doesn't have the stomach to withhold Homeland Security money though. Methinks the Negotiator has sprung a leak.

 

[Airport]

Suppose all you want but you'd be wrong. I'm betting this administration doesn't have the stomach to withhold Homeland Security money though. Methinks the Negotiator has sprung a leak.

Don't have to withhold all of it, just enough to make the liberals squirm.

 

[Airport]

Suppose all you want but you'd be wrong. I'm betting this administration doesn't have the stomach to withhold Homeland Security money though. Methinks the Negotiator has sprung a leak.

Skyline in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania / AP


BY: Brent Scher
July 13, 2016 5:00 am

A new Justice Department policy announced last week bars sanctuary cities such as Philadelphia, the host of the Democratic National Convention, from receiving millions of dollars worth of federal law enforcement grants, putting further pressure on Pennsylvania Democrats to abandon policies that impede federal immigration officials.

The Justice Department notified cities last Thursday that they would no longer receive federal law enforcement grants, which totaled $3.4 billion in the past five years, if they have laws on the books that interfere with requests for immigration information from federal authorities.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, who implemented the policy that bars cooperation between city law enforcement and federal immigration agents earlier this year, has resisted pressure from the Obama administration to back down on the issue. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson even traveled to Philadelphia to personally request that Kenney change course but was rejected.

AD

 

[bornaneer]

States' rights!

You mean like on other hot button issues or do you mean when it suits ones agenda?

 

[WVUCOOPER]

Skyline in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania / AP


BY: Brent Scher
July 13, 2016 5:00 am

A new Justice Department policy announced last week bars sanctuary cities such as Philadelphia, the host of the Democratic National Convention, from receiving millions of dollars worth of federal law enforcement grants, putting further pressure on Pennsylvania Democrats to abandon policies that impede federal immigration officials.

The Justice Department notified cities last Thursday that they would no longer receive federal law enforcement grants, which totaled $3.4 billion in the past five years, if they have laws on the books that interfere with requests for immigration information from federal authorities.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, who implemented the policy that bars cooperation between city law enforcement and federal immigration agents earlier this year, has resisted pressure from the Obama administration to back down on the issue. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson even traveled to Philadelphia to personally request that Kenney change course but was rejected.

AD

Trump is just copying the anti-American socialist mooslum?

 

[WVUCOOPER]

You mean like on other hot button issues or do you mean when it suits ones agenda?

Only when it suits one's agenda, obvi.

 

[Airport]

Suppose all you want but you'd be wrong. I'm betting this administration doesn't have the stomach to withhold Homeland Security money though. Methinks the Negotiator has sprung a leak.

The Apothecary

Insights into health care and entitlement reform.

Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

Josh Archambault, Contributor
By Jonathan Ingram and Josh Archambault-- Mr. Ingram is research director, andMr. Archambault a senior fellowat the Foundation for Government Accountability.

The Obama administration has worked for years to lure states into accepting Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion under the false promise of “flexibility.” Despite its best efforts, 21 states have rejected the expansion. And at least two states that previously expanded Medicaid under Obamacare are looking to turn back the clock and draw down their Medicaid expansions in 2016.

The Obama administration is desperate for a national leader like Florida to expand Obamacare, hoping it will set off a chain reaction to convince leaders in other states to fall in line. So, frustrated with its lack of success in convincing conservatives to give up their principled opposition to Obamacare, the administration has moved on to a new tactic: Sopranos-style blackmail.

Governor Rick Scott (R-FL) after a meeting with Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell to discuss his funding request for a Low Income Pool program. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

ADVERTISING
Obama Holding Medicaid Funding Hostage

Last month, Obama officials sent a letter to Florida’s Medicaid agency, warning that it may not reauthorize $2.2 billion in unrelated Medicaid funding unless the state agrees to expand Obamacare. These actions make the administration’s priorities crystal clear: expanding welfare for able-bodied adults is more important than funding for hospitals treating poor children, seniors and individuals with disabilities.

At the same time that Obama is threatening to cut funding for Florida’s hospitals, his administration is engaged in a false messaging campaign in the press to gin up support for his reckless tactics.


The Origin of LIP Funding

The administration has tried justifying its blackmail by painting funding for the Low Income Pool POOL -0.57% (LIP) as payments for uncompensated care, which it argues would no longer be needed if Florida expanded Medicaid under Obamacare. But even a cursory review of LIP funding history reveals this isn’t the case.

LIP was initial

 

[Airport]

Trump is just copying the anti-American socialist mooslum?

Where was your fake outrage when Obama did it? It was because you like what he ws doing. That's all. Good for the gander is good for the goose. Turn about is fair play.

 

[WVUCOOPER]

The Apothecary

Insights into health care and entitlement reform.

Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

Josh Archambault, Contributor
By Jonathan Ingram and Josh Archambault-- Mr. Ingram is research director, andMr. Archambault a senior fellowat the Foundation for Government Accountability.

The Obama administration has worked for years to lure states into accepting Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion under the false promise of “flexibility.” Despite its best efforts, 21 states have rejected the expansion. And at least two states that previously expanded Medicaid under Obamacare are looking to turn back the clock and draw down their Medicaid expansions in 2016.

The Obama administration is desperate for a national leader like Florida to expand Obamacare, hoping it will set off a chain reaction to convince leaders in other states to fall in line. So, frustrated with its lack of success in convincing conservatives to give up their principled opposition to Obamacare, the administration has moved on to a new tactic: Sopranos-style blackmail.

Governor Rick Scott (R-FL) after a meeting with Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell to discuss his funding request for a Low Income Pool program. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

ADVERTISING
Obama Holding Medicaid Funding Hostage

Last month, Obama officials sent a letter to Florida’s Medicaid agency, warning that it may not reauthorize $2.2 billion in unrelated Medicaid funding unless the state agrees to expand Obamacare. These actions make the administration’s priorities crystal clear: expanding welfare for able-bodied adults is more important than funding for hospitals treating poor children, seniors and individuals with disabilities.

At the same time that Obama is threatening to cut funding for Florida’s hospitals, his administration is engaged in a false messaging campaign in the press to gin up support for his reckless tactics.


The Origin of LIP Funding

The administration has tried justifying its blackmail by painting funding for the Low Income Pool POOL -0.57% (LIP) as payments for uncompensated care, which it argues would no longer be needed if Florida expanded Medicaid under Obamacare. But even a cursory review of LIP funding history reveals this isn’t the case.

LIP was initial

Ok?

 

[WVUCOOPER]

Where was your fake outrage when Obama did it? It was because you like what he ws doing. That's all. Good for the gander is good for the goose. Turn about is fair play.

I laughed at his plan too.