Report shows Justice Department gave millions to 'sanctuary cities'

Fox News reports today that a study from the Center for Immigration Studies shows that millions of taxpayer dollars went to so-called "sanctuary" cities - cities that do not enforce federal immigration laws.

The report, entitled, "Subsidizing Sanctuaries: The State Criminal Alien Assistance Program", says $62.2 million were given to 27 "sanctuary" communities.  The amount is, "more than 15 percent of its $400 million" allocation, according to Fox News.

The article notes that some cities, like San Fransisco and Chicago, are attempting to opt out of a program designed to automatically alert immigration officials when illegal immigrants are booked into jail.

One of the co-authors of the report said the current grant system makes little sense.  Fox News quotes Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies:

"Basically, the federal government is subsidizing through this grant program jurisdictions that on the one hand are complaining about the cost of illegal immigration and demanding reimbursement from the federal government, while at the same time they have policies in place that make their locality a magnet for illegal aliens."

Some of the top recipients of federal grant money are considered "sanctuaries".  The report states that $14.2 million went to Los Angeles County, $13.4 million to New York City and  the State of California received $88 million.  As Fox News reports:

According to Department of Justice figures cited in the report, five of the top 10 SCAAP grants to localities and two of the top 10 grants to states went to jurisdictions that are considered sanctuaries.

Vaughan recommended that grant money be used as "an incentive for communities to participate in immigration enforcement programs like Secure Communities," the program that provides automatic alerts to ICE officials.

Representative Gary Miller (R-CA), told Fox News he disagreed with the idea of funding sanctuary cities with federal money and demanded the Obama administration take measures to remedy the problem.  In a statement given to Fox News, he said:

"In its lawsuit challenging the Arizona immigration law, the Obama administration claims that the law creates a patchwork of immigration enforcement," Miller's statement read. "If this is the case, then the Obama administration should also sue sanctuary cities, for their policies are arguably a 'patchwork' of immigration enforcement as well. It is time for the administration to end its double standard."

Miller has introduced legislation to stop the practice of giving federal grant money to communities considered sanctuaries for illegal immigrants.  The bill, known as the Loophole Elimination and Verification Enforcement Act, or LEAVE, would keep DOJ grant money from sanctuary communities.

Miller's statement concludes:

"I hope the next Congress will take up this commonsense proposal and penalize sanctuary cities for their irresponsible policies,"

The Justice Department, however, said it administers the funds in accordance with legislation passed by Congress.

Bob Dane, of the Federation for American Immigration Reform said:

"One of the best fixes is to deny state and federal funding to the places that harbor illegal aliens.  The entire country is slowly but surely moving from a sanctuary mentality to a 'fix it' mentality, but you've got these remaining pockets of resistance, many of them in big cities."

Dane continued, "You hit 'em where it hurts, in the wallet, and maybe they'll get it. We're reimbursing cities for a problem of their own making."

Indeed, illegal immigration is an issue that has consumed the nation for years, as the number of illegal immigrants continue to increase.

But will Congress take action?  Some Senators owe their victories to the efforts of groups who support "comprehensive immigration reform" - also known as amnesty.

Illegal immigrants canvassed neighborhoods in Washington State in an effort to help re-elect Democrat Patty Murray, and conservative columnist Michelle Malkin quotes Roll Call magazine:

Immigration reform advocates said Wednesday that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid owes “a debt” to Hispanics for helping him get re-elected, and they expect payback in the coming weeks with Senate action on a contentious immigration proposal.

The practice of funding communities who disregard immigration laws needs to stop.  One can only wonder why the Administration would sue a state that wants these laws enforced while giving money to communities that provide sanctuary to illegal immigrants.

Perhaps we're all too scared to understand the logic involved at such a high level of government.