Byko: Why Sanctuary City will cost Philly $$$
Following up on a promise made to Congress by Attorney General Loretta Lynch in February, the Justice Department has said it will deny federal grant money to sanctuary cities, including Philly. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/feb/24/justice-dept-promises-crackdown-sanctuary-cities/
The announcement came on the heels of last week's failure by the U.S. Senate to strip community development funds from defiant cities. U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey was a leader in that effort, which achieved a bipartisan majority, but not the 60 votes needed.
The Justice Department will deny funds from the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program and the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program.
In the case of Philadelphia, the cost is relatively minor: $1.75 million was received in 2015, and $13.1 million since 2010.
Philadelphia's sanctuary city status is among the most extreme in the nation, protecting even convicted foreign felons from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
How bad are we? During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in May, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson singled out Philadelphia and Chicago as leaders in rejecting cooperation with federal officials trying to locate dangerous immigrants who should be deported. http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/senate-toomey-immigration-225135
Johnson had traveled to Philadelphia and met with Mayor Kenney, pleading for cooperation, but he was rebuffed. In KenneyWorld, what he decides is "fair" is what goes, even if it defies federal law.
Toomey, who hailed the move by the Justice Department, has long been pushing a crackdown on criminal aliens and has been challenging his Democratic opponent, Katie McGinty, to get on board.
In a statement to me, showing daylight between herself and Kenney, McGinty said she doesn't believe Sanctuary Cities are "the answer to our complex immigration and law enforcement challenges."
The mayor's office had no response by deadline.
In a 2015 poll, Rasmussen Reports found that Americans opposed sanctuary cities by an overwhelming 2-1 vote.
I'm quite happy Lynch is making good on a promise made in February before a House appropriations committee (which can mess with DOJ's funding) to begin a crackdown on Sanctuary Cities.