The Trump Administration has threatened Baltimore, Maryland, Albuquerque, N.M., Bernardino and Stockton, Calif. that they will withhold assistance for fighting crime if the cities will not cooperate with Trump's immigration enforcement efforts: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/ma...-psp-delegation-reactions-20170804-story.html
Six members of Baltimores delegation to Congress on Friday questioned the Justice Departments decision to withhold federal crime fighting assistance unless the city cooperates with the Trump administrations immigration enforcement efforts.
Calling the Justice Departments announcement unconscionable, the six lawmakers all Democrats noted that the State of Maryland sets immigration policy at Baltimores jail, not City Hall. The lawmakers also argued that immigration enforcement is a federal issue, not a local matter.
We find it unconscionable that the Justice Department would threaten Baltimore and other cities, and not expeditiously bring to bear all of the federal governments resources to reduce violent crime, the lawmakers wrote.
The letter was signed by Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Reps. Elijah E. Cummings, John Sarbanes and C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger.
At issue is whether the state will honor voluntary requests from the federal government to hold immigrants in jail beyond their scheduled release date so that federal agents can pick those people up for deportation, if they choose.
The Maryland Attorney General has advised jurisdictions in the state not to honor those requests without a warrant.
In its letter Thursday, the Justice Department demanded that Democratic Mayor Catherine Pughs administration explain its position on the detainer requests. But it is actually Republican Gov. Larry Hogans administration that sets the policy for the Baltimore city jail.
Aside from the immigration issue, the Justice Department told Baltimore it would otherwise be a candidate for its new Public Safety Partnership program, because the city has a level of violence that exceeds the national average.
Its not clear if Baltimore has asked to join the new partnership program, or what benefits that program would provide the city. The Justice Department has not fully explained how Public Safety Partnership is different from the federal-local cooperation that has been taking place in Baltimore for years.
A Justice Department spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.
The original Justice Department letter was sent to officials in Baltimore, Albuquerque, N.M., and San Bernardino and Stockton, Calif.