Can California officials continue to proudly defy federal laws on immigration?
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In what even the liberal San Francisco Chronicle deemed “an extraordinary escalation” of California’s war against the federal government, the mayor of Oakland last weekend issued a public warning to alert illegal immigrants about an upcoming federal operation designed to arrest them.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted the sweep to enforce federal immigration laws in Oakland and surrounding jurisdictions. That, after all, is the job of the agency and why it exists.
ICE announced Tuesday that the operation had resulted in the arrests of more than 150 illegal immigrants – half of whom had criminal convictions. The head of the federal agency also blasted Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf for tipping off illegal immigrants to the federal law enforcement action, removing the element of surprise so that some could evade arrest.
Acting ICE Director Thomas Homan called Schaaf’s warning a “reckless decision (that) was based on her political agenda.”
One thing is clear: Mayor Schaaf’s reckless actions, supported by a sympathetic left-wing media and left-wing celebrities, have brought us to a very dangerous point.
Homan added that more than 800 “criminal aliens and public safety threats remain at large in the community, and I have to believe that some of them were able to elude us thanks to the mayor’s irresponsible decision.”
In taking her action, Schaaf went a step beyond the Bay Area’s typical non-cooperation with the Trump administration. She edged closer to the sort of “massive resistance” America hasn’t seen since the civil rights era, when Alabama Gov. George Wallace stood in the schoolhouse door in 1963 in an attempt to defy a federal court order that mandated integration of the University of Alabama.
Wallace – a staunch segregationist who opposed allowing black students into what was then a white university – was rightly condemned for claiming states had the right to defy the federal government. The U.S. Supreme Court had ruled in 1954 that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.
Schaaf, by contrast, is drawing praise from liberals for defying the federal government – in this case on the issue of immigration rather than integration.
But while the two issues are different, the underlying principle is the same: Does the federal government have the power to set national policies? Or, does every state and city have the right to pick and choose which federal laws it wants to obey and ignore those it doesn’t like – like a person selecting only certain items in a cafeteria?
If obeying federal laws becomes optional rather than mandatory, enforcing these laws will become impossible and they won’t be worth the paper they are written on.
President John F. Kennedy federalized the Alabama National Guard to enforce integration in that state and made Gov. Wallace stand down. Kennedy was hailed as a hero. President Trump has not yet federalized the California National Guard to enforce federal immigration laws in that state, but you can bet that if he did liberals would sharply attack him as a heartless tyrant.
One thing is clear: Mayor Schaaf’s reckless actions, supported by a sympathetic left-wing media and left-wing celebrities, have brought us to a very dangerous point.
The mayor’s message was clear, according to the Chronicle: “Not only will Oakland and its police force not cooperate with ICE, but the city will actively seek to thwart efforts to detain and deport (illegal) immigrants.”
Schaaf claimed her legal counsel told her she was not opening herself to federal prosecution for alerting illegal immigrants about federal law enforcement actions against them.
But it’s hard to see how Schaaf didn’t break a federal law that states: “Any person who … conceals, harbors, or shields from detection, or attempts to conceal, harbor, or shield from detection” any illegal immigrant can be imprisoned for up to five years for each violation.
The mayor claims that because she did not receive information about the raid through “official channels” her actions were legal. But it must be assumed that she was only provided information about the law enforcement action through unofficial channels in the expectation that she would act on it in her official capacity.
While immigration is the flashpoint of the clash between California and the U.S. government, it is hardly the only bone of contention.
In the last year alone, California has defied federal marijuana laws. It has attempted a legally dubious workaround to keep millions of its residents from having to pay their federal income tax obligations. It has fought the Trump administration’s travel ban of visitors from several high-risk countries, and it has engaged in high-stakes fights over the regulation of firearms, the internet and climate policy – all in the face of strong federal opposition.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, until recently a member of the U.S House Democratic leadership, has filed more than 26 lawsuits against the Trump administration in his first year in office.
But it is federal immigration law that has become the key battleground of California’s war against the federal government’s authority, and for understandable reasons.
Mass immigration, both legal and illegal, has driven California’s leftward surge in recent decades, turning it from a red state that voted Republican for president all but once between 1952 and 1988 to one in which Donald Trump took just under 32 percent of the vote in 2016. That was his worst performance in the lower 48 states.
At least 27 percent of Californians are immigrants. A staggering half of California children have at least one immigrant parent.
Many of these immigrants bring needed skills and talents to America and are productive members of their communities.
However, immigrants are quite understandably, on average, not as tightly wedded to the traditional political views and outlooks of a country in which they and their families have just begun to put down roots.
As a result, immigrants have dramatically different voting patterns – characterized by overwhelming support of Democratic candidates – than those of California’s non-Hispanic whites, who while more liberal than American whites as a whole, tend to split their votes fairly evenly between the two parties.
Non-Hispanic whites made up 77 percent of California’s population as recently as 1970. Today they are only 38 percent of the state.
Little wonder that in hyper-diverse California, Schaaf’s approach of defying federal law seems to meet with overwhelming approval among California Democratic leaders.
Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democratic candidate for governor, issued a statement strongly praising Schaaf’s action.
State Senate President Kevin de Leon (the son of an illegal immigrant), who is making a strong challenge from the left to long-time Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, has referred to President Trump’s immigration policies as “xenophobic, racist, and ignorant” and sponsored legislation declaring California a sanctuary state.
“I know that Oakland is a city of law-abiding immigrants and families who deserve to live free from the constant threat of arrest and deportation,” Schaaf said. But as a local official she has absolutely no legal authority to make that determination.
Conservatives have generally been in favor of federalism and state authority. But there are certain core elements of governance – among them borders and national defense – that are the exclusive domain of the federal government. Unfortunately, California Democrats have decided that they can simply ignore federal laws whenever they do not approve of them.
In January Schaaf declared that she was willing to go to jail to keep the federal government from exercising control over borders and deporting illegal immigrants in Oakland. The Trump administration should give her – and other California officials who believe that they can “stand in the schoolhouse door” and flout federal law – the chance to back up their words with actions. http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2018/03/01/can-california-officials-continue-to-proudly-defy-federal-laws-on-immigration.html
Funny thing....California is going above and beyond to try and Make "ILLEGALS" feel welcome. I wonder when Californians will put as much effort into their U.S. Citizen "Homeless" PROBLEM !
Dumb Fucking "Feely" Californians. So out of the "Real Stream" of things.
Apparently....."Illegal ORGASMS" FEEL really god like !
What? You mean the 58K Homeless just in LA???? You ought to see San Fran and Oakland - jjjjeeeezzzzzzz.
The overall homeless rate in the U. S. is 554,000 and 25% of them, 114,000, live in California.
I'll never go back.
STUPID is as STUPID Continues !
FAITH based Charities do a good job of what Big Gov. WON'T do !
Who do you think funds those 'charities'?
I assume he is talking about charities set up by churches. We have a sick society in so many ways.
Volunteerism
Donations bring in needed revenues, but charities can make them stretch even farther by relying on the generous time individuals are able to donate to their favorite cause. There are even nonprofit organizations that exist to help other charities maximize their army of volunteers. The majority of charities rely mainly on volunteers to help them run, and people can volunteer in many great ways.
Gala Events
Many charities hold a gala event each year to help raise funds. The events can be quite costly to organize and run, but can bring in some of the largest revenue of the year. Some organizations can bring in more than $1 million from a fundraising gala through a mix of wealthy donors, corporations that sponsored the event or individual tables, as well as numerous other individuals interested in the cause. Silent and live auctions of travel events, products and other services donated by businesses also bring in revenue during these events.
Product Sales
Selling a product can be one of the more tangible ways for charities and other nonprofit organizations to raise funds. The annual sale of Girl Scout cookies and Boy Scout popcorn are two of the highest profile product examples, bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars each year, much more than its fees from annual membership. The cookie sales have been a lucrative revenue stream for the Girl Scouts since the early 1900s, when the first cookies were said to have been sold.
Events and Performances
Gala events certainly qualify as important charitable events that can bring in donations. Other events and performances also bring in money. Organizations in the performing arts have a leg up in this category and can present concerts, dance performances and music recitals to help support the arts. Other events can include telethons, such as those that public radio and television organizations hold to secure operating funds.
Publicity
Spending money is a vital way to eventually make money. Advertising and publicity can increase a charity's reach and awareness among potential donors. As with volunteerism, advertising doesn't directly generate revenue, but it can lead to giving and related revenue, such as gala attendance or product sales. A celebrity endorsement can have a huge impact as well.
Read more: The Many Ways Charities Make Money
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As do I. Much of the funding for 'FAITH based' programs comes from state and federal sources. AKA, 'Big government'.
Nice list, though it fails to address 'FAITH based charities' which are the subject of this thread. The FACT is that you can look up the 'FAITH based charitiies' 'serving' the homeless in Redding [as I did] and find that much of their funding is from state and federal program grants, in short the 'Big government' that HA decries.
Can California officials continue to proudly defy federal laws on immigration?
Yes. Yes they do and so do the citizens. So? In fact Trump has threatened to pull all of the immigration (ICE) from California because we won't cooperate with them. To that we say. Adios Motherfuckers! Please! Please let the door hit you in the ass on the way out of the door! If I know a dreamer or an illegal alien in my neighborhood I am not gong to turn them in. Period. We are called a sanctuary state for a reason. We take that title seriously, proudly and defend it.
So, you are okay with people breaking the law, correct? You don’t have a problem with someone holding people prisoner in their own homes, killing someone with a butcher knife, or running guns throughout the state you live in, correct? You see if you want people to follow the law, you need to be in favor of all laws being enforced, INCLUDING Federal immigration law.
I am OK with people coming into my state and working hard to make a better life for themselves and there family and that is by far the experience of the people who move here from the South into California. Yes there are some bad people who come up here from the South and we and our Law Enforcement deal with them. Period. They are stopped. However we are not cowed by the fairy-tales told by the anti-immigrant people who spin a lie of massive amounts of MS13 and other gang members and drug dealers and rapists and such massively invading our country to try to kill us and steal our things and murder us as they rape our wives and daughters. That is pure paranoid racist bullshit. Almost everyone who comes into California from the South is coming here to work hard and to contribute to our State and to our economy. They are hard workers who work hard in the fields and start small family business that I am happy to patronize because they prove quality service and products.
Contrary to the other big lie put out by the anti-brown people (and yes, this is a racist thing) they do not commit crimes as much as white Americans because they are trying hard to keep their heads down so they will not be noticed and sent back. I have no doubt that the man who cleans my pool twice a week was born in America. I also have no doubt that his parents were not. Should I report them? Hell no! They raised a good hard working son who has started his own very successful business that I have no doubt he is making a very good living at, is supporting his wife and children with and is probably supporting his parents also. No welfare. No food stamps.
So why are people so hardcore anti immigration from the South? That's easy and very few of them will admit to it because they can not face it in themselves. It's the browning of America. It's because in 2044 the White race will no longer be the majority race in the United States. That scares the hell out of some people for some reason and to tell the truth I really don't understand why? Most of the people it is scaring will be old or dead by then? If you look at Trump and Stephen Miller's actual LEGAL Immigration plan, it will cut immigration from non-White countries to the point where it will push the White Majority to the point of 2049 or 2050. No that is pathetic. Thy are so scared that this is going to become a Hispanic nation, which it is going to become anyway no matter what they do, that hey are going to twist up our legal immigration to the point where it will delay that by just 4 or 5 years. That is White Supremacist sick.
People! Americans! No matter what you do Hispanic-Americans are reproducing at a much higher rate then White Americans! In another 20 or so years the majority in this nation is going to be of Hispanic decent! Short of death camps you can not stop that from happening! Grow up! Deal with it! The majority of voters will be of Hispanic decent! We will start on a string of Hispanic Presidents and Hispanic Majority Congress'! Just look at a map of the Western Hemisphere and you'll see why this IS going to happen!
Sounds like the federal government is responsible for enforcing federal immigration law. That whole federalism thing.
You do realize that Californian isn’t just not enforcing Federal Immigration law, they actively obstructing the Federal government’s ability to enforce the law in California. The California Attorney General plans on arresting and prosecuting people who report any illegal immigrants to the Federal government and Oakland’s mayor told EVERYONE that there was a planned ICE raid for California just hours before the raid took place. These two are breaking the law and should be prosecuted for their actions along with anyone breaking immigration law.
I know first-hand how many Mexicans and Guatmalans actually perform work and live. My family has hired many of them over the years, and their main vice has been drinking alcohol. One time, I had to take one of them to a satellite farm that we were renting and he was so drunk that he was almost unable to perform any of his duties. Were any of our employees illegal? If they were they had really good fake immigration papers when we filled out the I-9s on hiring them.
Lie.
Cite the statute 'these two are breaking'.
Obstruction of Justice
You're not the first to claim that crap. I suggest you go READ the statute. Then, come back and cite the subsection that you claim they violated. You'd be the only one who can...
And as a Californian I actively encourage them to and am proud of them! When it comes to immigration in California, I favor our states rights over the federalizes coming here to try to force their ignorant red state racist polices upon us when we have operated and cooperated with migrants from the South for nearly countless generations successfully. The Federal Government has zero experience in how we operated and cooperated with migrants and immigrants, both legal and illegal and they need to stay the fuck out of our business because how WE deal with it works for US and the rest of the nation when it comes to putting food it their damned mouths! So back the fuck off! JUST LEAVE US ALONE ASSHOLES! OR WE'LL SELL OUR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ELSEWHERE OUTSIDE OF THE REST OF AMERICA BECAUSE THERE IS A HUGE MARKET FOR WHAT WE HAVE!!!
The farmers of California, whose crops are mostly picked and processed by illegals, will sell their crops to those who pay the best and who are most in sympathy with the whole sanctuary movement because they want the same laborers to come back the next year to pick their crops again so they can sell them then also. You see deciding on who they sell their crops to is secondary, meaningless, until their crops are harvested and that can't happen in California without California being a sanctuary state. The farmers may be in red sections of the state, but they are not stupid. They know their business and who their business depends on. They illegals to pick their crops. They can not have a profitable year without them. And they will do whatever they have to do to protect them and to make them happy. Anything. If you think they are suddenly turn Republican when it comes to their crops, the illegals that pick them and the profit they generate, then let me tell you about the demise of the Dodo birds.
I don't think that is going to play too well with the ever increasing number of Muslims immigrating to the US and setting up terror cells in your neighborhood. And blacks are not going to be too happy about being shoved to the back of the bus again.
That can't be right because Trump closed the border right? RIGHT?
Then those that HA insists 'leave after the harvest' won't be able to get back in right? So HOW are the 2018 crops going to get planted and harvested?
Oh and BTFW, the GOP just passed the 2018 budget. The Dems aren't in the way and the CA state Dems have NO control over the border. So why the obfuscation?
Any sanctuary state is violating the 10th Amendment as the Constitution clearly states in Article 1 Section 8 that laws of Naturalization (immigration) are the purview of the Federal government.
Would you like some mustard for that pretzel?
Ridiculous. California employs over 400,000 farmworkers, 60% of who work on crops. The ENTIRE number of H2-A visas is just UNDER 75,000 for the WHOLE country.
Seriously, stop making shit up.
Mythological racist wedge issue bullshit.
So stop us. I dare you to!
LOL! There is a huge and hungry international and well paying market for California's produce and for big money!!
Rest assured, it will not rot. It will feed millions!
They simply will not and certainly will not do it as well. They are wimps when it comes to working the fields.
You forget that you comment was BS.
The ENTIRE STATE of CA is a 'sanctuary area' so 'looking the other way' while illegals work the large corporate farms in the Central Valley is utterly hypocritical. The Sheriffs you are so supportive of know EXACTLY which corporate farms bring in large numbers of illegals every year. They know which side their bread is buttered on and they have been looking the other way for decades, just as you recommend they should.
By stating that you have no problem with 'looking the other way' you support the abuses of illegals by employers in the 'Central Valley'.
I didn't ignore what you said, I refuted it, as I have all the other crap you've posted.
No surprise that you've proven that you're incapable of supporting your proclamations.
Your constant demand that your false statements be accepted as fact is juvenile. If you want you lies to go unchallenged, post them in one of your groups where no one participates.
Your 3.1.19 comment wasn't your 'opinion'.
You claim that I didn't address the content of you post and when I do you whine that it was merely you opinion and shouldn't be criticized.
Obtuse.
Just your opinion...
Just your opinion...
Just your opinion...
Just your opinion...
Your last shred of credibility lost...
Do tell...
Ask him, he seems to have something on his mind, unlike you.
In short, yes they can. The SCOTUS has pretty clearly established that immigration enforcement is strictly a federal responsibility.
Perhaps there is good reason NOT to fall in lockstep with every Federal demand, for that is what laws are, demands.
Oakland isn't the only place defying the Feds on immigration demands. See Austin, San Antonio, El Paso.
I have no issue with what the mayor of Oakland did. I have many issues with what ICE is doing and wants to do.
And it isn't just ICE, they are only one small piece of the Federal Government. ICE is the point man for the government to use to eventually destroy all individuals rights.
From 2009 - 2016 they did.