Should Key West be a Sanctuary City?

Should Key West be a Sanctuary City? Is it already? The controversial idea of creating a Southernmost Sanctuary City became a hot topic when City Commissioner Jimmy Weekley floated the idea at a commission meeting shortly after the November election. When the City Commission reaffirmed its One Human Family motto last December, Commissioner Weekley said, “ I’d like to see us declare ourselves a Sanctuary City.”

There is no actual legal definition of a ‘Sanctuary City.’ The term is most commonly is used for cities, counties or states that do not allow local resources or funds to be used to enforce federal immigration laws.  In such places, police and municipal employees are not permitted to ask about one’s immigration status.

For Key West’s local law enforcement, no formal resolution is needed. It is not routine for Key West police officers to inquire of immigration status when stopping someone for traffic or other arrests, said Chief Donnie Lee at the Feb 6th District meeting hosted by Commissioner Margaret Romero.

Enforcing U. S. immigration law is “not our function, not our mission, and as long as I am police chief, it won’t be,” said Chief Lee to a round of applause. “Having said that, I would not support [an] ordinance that absolutely tied law enforcement’s hands. There are times where we may need to cooperate with immigration or customs.”

While local police may not ask about immigration status, Federal officials are automatically and immediately notified of every single individual who is taken into state or local custody through the automatic sharing of fingerprints obtained at booking. The Department of Homeland Security enforces immigration law throughout Monroe County – and has a significant presence in Key West.

Those who oppose Sanctuary City status for Key West fear that President Donald Trump’s hardline on sanctuary cities might mean fewer federal dollars for the City of Key West. But Trump’s recent executive order (Jan. 25, 2017) threatens federal funds for jurisdictions which refuse to hand over illegal immigrants for deportation. Since the local jails are operated by Monroe County this executive order has no impact for the City of Key West.

Commissioner Weekley is moving away from the term “Sanctuary City” but still plans to propose a resolution that that reflects the city’s relaxed stance toward immigrants, documented or otherwise.

“What we’re drafting will be resolution declaring Key West a “Welcoming City,” said Commissioner Weekley this week.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) will host a town hall March 9th to help educate the community on the topic of sanctuary cities and immigrant rights.

“Protection against unreasonable detention by the government is the bedrock of the Constitution’s Fourth Amendment, which provides that the government cannot hold anyone in jail without getting a warrant or the approval of a judge. This constitutional protection applies to everyone in the United States, citizen and immigrant alike,” wrote ACLU National Political Director Karin Johanson, in a letter last July opposing the a Senate bill (S.3100) that sought to prevent “sanctuary jurisdictios” from receiving grants under certain Economic Development Assistance Programs and the Community Development Block Grant Program.

The Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force, comprised of more than 30 police chiefs, sheriffs, commissioners and lieutenants from across the US, vigorously support the Sanctuary concept. Cities that have adopted “community trust policies” have been found to promote public safety while combatting crime, its members say.

“Since Dayton adopted these policies and innovative ways of addressing crime problems, our crime rates have significantly declined, “ said Richard S. Biehl, police chief of Dayton, Ohio. “In the past three years, serious violent crime has dropped nearly 22 percent while serious property crime has gone down almost 15 percent.”

“When immigrants feel safe in their communities, we are all safer,” says Ron Teachman, Police Chief in South Bend, Indiana. “Criminals can use the fear of deportation to coerce immigrants into silence, making our communities less safe for everybody. Immigrants should feel comfortable reporting crimes, serving as witnesses and calling for help in emergencies.”

Key Westers will have a chance to explore the impact such a policy might have on immigrants’ rights in an upcoming ACLU Town Hall. The Florida Chapter of the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) will host “Key West: Sanctuary City? A Conversation about Immigrant Rights,” on March 9 from 7 – 9 PM at the Harvey Government Center, 1200 Truman Ave, Key West.

Panelists FIU Professor Erik Camayd-Freixas; Key West Immigration Attorney Wayne Dapser, Jonathan Fried, executive director of We-Count! ; and Howard Simon, Executive Director of the ACLU of Florida will each speak for 5 minutes and then open the forum to questions. Former Columbia Law Professor George Cooper will moderate the panel.

The town hall is open to the public at no charge.

The town hall will be held 7 – 9 PM on Thursday March 9, at the Harvey Government Center, 1200 Truman Ave, Key West. For more information call: 305-304-8339 or email: [email protected].

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