As Dems delay Gorsuch, GOP talks ‘nuclear’
ATTORNEY GENERAL Jeff Sessions on Monday doubled down on his tough talk against so-called sanctuary cities, threatening to “claw back” federal funds if those cities don’t comply with federal immigration laws.
Sessions said the Justice Department would require cities seeking some of $4.1 billion available in grant money to verify that they are in compliance with a section of federal law that allows information sharing with immigration officials.
“Unfortunately, some states and cities have adopted policies designed to frustrate the enforcement of our immigration laws. This includes refusing to detain known felons under federal detainer requests, or otherwise failing to comply with these laws,” Sessions told reporters.
“Today I am urging all states and local jurisdictions to comply with all federal laws,” he added. “Moreover, the Department of Justice will require jurisdictions seeking or applying for department grants to certify compliance with Section 1373 as a condition for receiving these awards,” Sessions added. He was referring to a federal statute prohibiting local communities from preventing their own law enforcement officials from cooperating with federal immigration authorities.
“The Department of Justice will also take all lawful steps to claw back any funds awarded to a jurisdiction that willfully violates Section 1373,” Sessions said.
New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman immediately responded to Sessions, saying he would help defend New York City, and accusing the Trump administration of overstepping its constitutional authority by making the threats.
“Despite what Attorney General Sessions implied this afternoon, state and local governments and law enforcement have broad authority under the Constitution to not participate in federal immigration enforcement,” Schneiderman said in a statement.
Mayor de Blasio said the city could sue.
“We’ll go to court. I mean, there’s no question,” de Blasio said Monday night on NY1, dismissing Sessions’ tough talk as “saber-rattling.”
"“It’s meanspirited, it’s counterproductive, and it’s all words right now. If they actually act to take away our money, we’ll see them in court.”
Gov. Cuomo vowed to stand tough as well.
“This is New York. We protect immigrants,” he told NY1.
Civil rights group objected, too.
“Despite the Trump administration’s bluster and threats, the federal government cannot coerce local police into becoming deportation agents, and should not try to scare local authorities into taking illegal actions that undermine public safety and subject them to liability,” Omar Jadwat, the director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, said.
“Police and municipal officials have been sticking by their decisions to do what’s best for the safety of their communities, and we will continue to stand with them in court to defend those lawful choices.” SENATE DEMOCRATS on the chamber’s Judiciary Committee on Monday forced a one-week delay for a vote on Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) threatened to apply the so-called “nuclear option” to get President Trump’s pick through with a simple majority vote.
“Contrary to what some #Senate Ds say, there’s no 60-vote standard when it comes to #SCOTUS nominees,” McConnell tweeted.
To overcome filibuster threats from Democrats, Republicans would need the support of 60 of the Senate’s 100 members — or they could change Senate rules to confirm Gorsuch and other Supreme Court nominees with a simple majority. That maneuver, known as the nuclear option, has received support from Trump. WASHINGTON — A group of First Amendment attorneys sued the Trump administration on Monday over access to data showing how often U.S. citizens and visitors had their electronic devices searched and the contents catalogued at American border crossings.
The complaint by Columbia University’s Knight First Amendment Institute said the Department of Homeland Security hasn’t moved quickly on its request, which sought information about the number of people whose devices were searched at the border, complaints about the practice and government training materials.