County, lawmakers fight back as sanctuary cities and counties expand across PA
LANCASTER, COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) – They’re all over the country and they’re becoming more common. Sanctuary cities and counties are expanding across the Commonwealth.
Back in February, Lancaster City voted to terminate cooperation with federal authorities — like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — to enforce immigration laws.
It’s not the only city in the Commonwealth to do this. Philadelphia does, and so do counties like Dauphin.
Lancaster County is pushing back against this. Its council drafted a resolution that passed 2-1, declaring the municipality a “non-sanctuary county.”
Lancaster County Commissioner Alice Yoder voted no.
“It’s a basically a non-binding resolution that really has no place, in my mind, for the county commissioner’s office,” Yoder said. “Data really points out that undocumented immigrants are not any more likely to commit a crime than any other population in our community.”
A study from Stanford University found that since the 1960’s, immigrants are 60% less likely to commit a crime than American citizens.
“I believe that the non-sanctuary resolution only makes our community more divisive,” Yoder said.
Even if that’s true, county vote trumps the city’s.
“This is not a safe haven,” Lancaster County Commissioner Ray A’agostino said. “Our law enforcement at the county level will enforce the law they will work with the law enforcement at the federal level with respect to this issue.>
Republican Bryan Cutler, who represents Lancaster County, supports the county’s decision.
“There are legal ways to enter the country,” Cutler said. “I think that we can’t pick and choose which laws we’re going to follow and not follow.”
State House Bill 1840 would ensure those laws are always followed by banning municipalities from becoming sanctuaries. Cutler argues a move like this is necessary.
“[Sanctuary cities] constantly talk about their high demand for social services and the impact that that has on their tax base,” Cutler said. “This will further erode that and put further strain on their systems.”
Thanks for signing up!
Watch for us in your inbox.
Subscribe Now
WHTM Severe Weather Alerts
“It smells of xenophobia,” Democratic Representative Manuel Guzman Jr. said. “It brings out the worst of people and unfortunately I don’t see these bills as being helpful.”
One thing almost everyone can agree on is that there is a strain at our southern border, and it needs to be fixed.
“There is a legal process,” Cutler said. “If it needs to be reformed, it should be reformed.”
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
