Attorney General Bill Barr announced yesterday that the Department of Justice has filed lawsuits against the sanctuary state of New Jersey and a county in Washington for policies which protect criminal illegal aliens.
During a speech to the National Sheriffs’ Association Winter Legislative and Technology Conference, Barr said the DOJ was filing a complaint against the state of New Jersey “seeking declaratory and injunctive relief against its laws that forbid state and local law enforcement from sharing vital information about criminal aliens with DHS.”
“Let us state the reality upfront and as clearly as possible: When we are talking about sanctuary cities, we are talking about policies that are designed to allow criminal aliens to escape. These policies are not about people who came to our country illegally but have otherwise been peaceful and productive members of society,” he said. “Their express purpose is to shelter aliens whom local law enforcement has already arrested for other crimes. This is neither lawful nor sensible.”
Barr also announced a lawsuit against King County, Washington for its policy which bans ICE agents from using the local airport to deport or transport criminal illegals. The policy went into effect last spring. Over eight years, the airport was a hub for the deportation of over 30,000 illegal immigrants.
Barr cited this policy as an example of how local leftist leaders have “become even more aggressive in their attempts to interfere with federal immigration laws.”
“Innocent people are routinely threatened and hurt by illegal aliens whom local jurisdictions have set free in the face of federal immigration detainers,” he said.
Barr then listed examples of the dangers posed by these reckless policies, including an illegal alien who–once released from custody–went on to rape a 97-year-old woman and another who murdered and dismembered their own cousin:
- “In November, ICE filed a detainer for an alien who was arrested for assaulting his own father. The local police in New York City that had the alien in custody ignored the detainer. So the alien was released onto the streets, and last month, he allegedly raped and killed 92-year-old Maria Fuertes, affectionately known as “abuelita,” a fixture of her Queens neighborhood.
- In October 2017, DHS identified a convicted criminal alien with four prior removals at a city jail in Washington State. DHS filed a detainer. Subsequently, the alien fought with jail staff and was taken to a local medical center for treatment. But after receiving treatment, local officials released the alien in violation of the detainer. In January 2018, the alien was arrested and booked for murdering and dismembering his cousin.”
Barr stated the Department of Justice was reviewing policies and laws of jurisdictions across the country and will assess whether they are compliant with criminal laws which include the statute which prohibits the harboring of illegal aliens in the U.S.
Watch his full speech below:
