San Jose Balks at New ‘Sanctuary City’ Law

San Jose is considering a new “sanctuary city” law that would prevent local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration officials except on an emergency basis.

But even local Democrats are worried that the law will go too far, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

The paper reports:

A councilman’s proposed law that would limit city cooperation with federal immigration authorities is giving pause even to San Jose’s liberal leaders, who openly welcome immigrants and denounce the Trump administration’s illegal immigration crackdown.

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Councilman Lan Diep’s proposed “Shield Our City” ordinance would prohibit the San Jose Police Department from entering into a formal agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It would also require the agency to seek permission from the city attorney’s office before carrying out any raids in “safe zones,” such as schools, hospitals, courthouses and places of worship.

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But other council members questioned whether the city has any legal power to dictate rules to a federal agency, and worried that the proposal would needlessly provoke a response from the Trump administration that would do more harm than good to the city’s immigrant residents.

The proposal is being considered by the city attorney’s office before being brought before the city council for a vote. The Trump administration is currently fighting in court to preserve an executive order that would cut off some sources of federal funding to jurisdictions that adopt “sanctuary city” policies. The Department of Justice recently narrowed its definition of “sanctuary city” and focused only on funds within its discretion, to satisfy court rulings.

Democratic Mayor Sam Riccardo is advising caution. Last year, he blamed Donald Trump for violence by anti-Trump rioters against Trump supporters attending a local rally. Earlier this year, he had to admit that the city had failed to warn residents about dangerous flood waters, which eventually brought toxic flooding to part of the city.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. He was named one of the “most influential” people in news media in 2016. He is the co-author of How Trump Won: The Inside Story of a Revolution, is available from Regnery. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.