Sheriff Clarke: Citizens Have Fewer Protections Than Illegal Immigrants in Sanctuary Cities

As the debate over sanctuary cities continues, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke discusses their potential impact on American citizens and the looming showdown between sanctuary cities and the federal government.

According to Sheriff Clarke, American citizens have fewer protections compared to illegal immigrants in sanctuary cities, telling the FOX Business Network’s Stuart Varney, “They’re aiding and abetting criminality when they allow safe haven and safe harbor for people who are in the country illegally and have been arrested or convicted of some very serious crimes.”

Sheriff Clarke then pointed out that local law enforcement has an ethical responsibility to assist other agencies as well.

“I think there’s an ethical obligation as well, Stuart. Under the law enforcement code of ethics, one of the tenets is to assist with other lawful and legal law enforcement agencies in the pursuit of justice.  And that’s what this is here.”

Clarke says Immigration and Customs Enforcement can’t make local law enforcement honor ICE requests to detain illegal immigrants who have been arrested for serious offenses, but sanctuary cities could face financial consequences long term.

“The feds can withhold federal funding and I’m hoping that they do that because that’s the carrot that we need to encourage people, when I say people, law enforcement executives, elected officials, mayors, governors who want to be sanctuary cities.  I don’t want to live in a sanctuary city.”

When Varney asked if sanctuary cities were all about the Hispanic vote, that politicians who oppose sanctuary cities would risk losing the Hispanic vote, Clarke responded, “That’s what they think it is on the left, but you don’t because Donald Trump didn’t do too bad with the Hispanic vote and he was preaching this the entire time.”