Giordano: We need a law to end policy of Sanctuary Cities

THE FIRST anniversary of Pope Francis' visit to Philadelphia garnered the expected headlines noting his charisma and the impact he had on some people during his visit. I see him as holy, charismatic and kind.

I also see him as wrong on a major issue being debated in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania.

The pope last week attacked the Italian media and media in general for stoking fear of migrants and refugees in Europe. This is consistent with Francis' past positions and something that has endeared him to many people on the left.

While the pope was staking out this position, two prominent Philadelphia political figures with Catholic backgrounds were duking it out over Philadelphia's status as a Sanctuary City on steroids. Republican state Rep. Martina White was in the news because her House Bill 1885 passed out of committee. The bill prevents municipalities from passing legislation that stops cooperation between cities and the federal government on illegal immigration cases.

In a big blow to Sanctuary Cities that shield illegal immigrants from our laws, the legislation would hold a city financially responsible for any damage to people or their property from illegal immigrants. This bill stands a very good chance of being passed by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives soon.

This enraged Mayor Jim Kenney.

"I sincerely hope that the Republican Party wrote this legislation to help Donald Trump win Pennsylvania, because if Representative White actually wrote this bill with the intention of reducing crime, then I have serious concerns about her understanding of the law, government and policing," Kenney told the media.

He further relied on the tired arguments that actually following our laws would weaken our ability to solve and prevent crimes, because people here illegally would not come forward as witnesses if this law were passed.

Kenney even accused White of potentially taking funding from needy Philadelphia children if she got her law passed. This man knows no boundaries. Even the Obama administration has visited with Kenney to tell him his policy was incredibly risky.

I think Kenney is completely in sync with Pope Francis, and White is not. I wonder: How do local Catholics process all this? Catholics also make up about 25 percent of Pennsylvania voters, and this issue of Sanctuary Cities is a major one in the Senate race between Republican incumbent Pat Toomey and Democratic challenger Katie McGinty. Again, both candidates have Catholic backgrounds, yet have starkly different positions on Sanctuary Cities.

Toomey has made ending them a focal point of his campaign.

McGinty has said, "I think sometimes these labels and buzzwords and are very divisive and unnecessarily so. Sanctuary Cities would somehow suggest that local police and local law enforcement are somehow encouraging a violation of law."

She clearly is evading the fact that Kenney is arrogantly breaking our laws.

The question is, do Catholics and other voters across the state support the philosophies of Pope Francis and Kenney? I don't think they do. I think White's bill will pass both houses. I further think this issue aids Trump in Pennsylvania in a large way. I think Toomey will use it effectively in debates with McGinty.

Whatever comes out of it politically, I hope the debates on it highlight the case of Ramon Aguirre-Ochoa. He came here illegally and was deported in 2009, but returned to Philadelphia and was charged with domestic aggravated assault. Immigration and Customs Enforcement wanted him detained, but following policy, Philadelphia released him. Aguirre-Ochoa was arrested again in July and charged with raping a child. If he somehow beats this charge, I assume he will again be released.

Kenney has called White's bill "incredibly dangerous." What is truly dangerous is the denial of reality by Kenney and Pope Francis. Philadelphia is not safer with the current policies. People who oppose this lawlessness are not mean and bigoted. Social justice is built on rule of law.

Hopefully, the pope, because of his good nature and openness, can be brought to see these facts. Kenney can be stopped only by laws like White's bill and the federal government.

Help stop his reckless policies by telling your local state representative to pass White's law.

Teacher-turned-talk show host Dom Giordano is heard 9 a.m. to noon weekdays on WPHT (1210-AM). Contact him at www.domgiordano.com

@DomShow1210