Liberal immigration activists got a proposal onto the ballot in Tucson, Arizona which would have designated the city as a sanctuary city. Voters rejected the measure, and it wasn’t even close.
Caitlin Yilek reports at the Washington Examiner:
Liberal Tucson votes overwhelmingly against becoming official sanctuary cityA ballot measure that would have made Tucson the first sanctuary city in Arizona was overwhelming rejected by voters in the heavily Democratic city.The measure to make the city an official sanctuary city was rejected by 71% of voters, according to unofficial election results released by the city late Tuesday.Democrats designated Tucson an “immigrant welcoming city” in 2012, and the police department limited when officers could ask people about their immigration status. The move came after Arizona passed a law that required local police to check the immigration status of people they believed to be in the United States illegally.“The city of Tucson, in all respects except being labeled as such, operates as a sanctuary city,” Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, a Democrat, told the Associated Press.
Jason Hopkins of the Daily Signal notes that even the city council, which is made up of Democrats, rejected the proposal:
Notably, the measure was opposed by every member of the Tucson City Council—all of whom are Democrats. The council members were concerned that its passage would lead to the loss of millions of dollars in federal and state funding. Leaders were very aware of the Trump administration’s fight against other local jurisdictions that have passed sanctuary policies, threatening to withhold federal grants as punishment.Council members were also concerned that the measure would prohibit the city from working with federal law enforcement on issues that have no relation to immigration enforcement.“It’s refreshing to see Tucson voters and council members work collectively to reject policies that undermine federal law and harbor criminal illegal aliens,” Matthew Tragesser, spokesperson at the Federation for American Immigration Reform, said in a Wednesday statement to The Daily Caller News Foundation.“While there are more than 560 sanctuary jurisdictions throughout the country, citizens nationwide are voicing their concerns and stymieing dangerous sanctuary laws. At the state level, Florida recently adopted anti-sanctuary laws. At the local level, Montgomery County, Maryland, has experienced a spate of violent crimes at the hands of illegal aliens, and also just incorporated anti-sanctuary policies,” Tragesser continued.
This short video report from KGUN News includes a tearful statement from one of the organizers behind the proposal:
Featured image via YouTube.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY