Delaware County Daily News - Why Sanctuary Cities Must Be Outlawed

Op-Ed

By Pat Toomey

It is every parent's worst nightmare: A 45-year-old man rapes a young child.

Then you learn that this monster should never have been on Philly's streets in the first place. Law enforcement tried to keep this predator locked up, but politicians would not cooperate and, instead, required his release.

The result? He was able to go on to rape a child.

One Philadelphia family is living this nightmare.

It started with Ramon Aguirre-Ochoa, a Honduran national in the U.S. illegally. He was deported in 2009, but re-entered the U.S. -- a felony. Last year, Philadelphia police had him in custody on charges of aggravated assault, making a terroristic threat, and harassment. Federal law enforcement officers asked the city to hold him temporarily, so they could come pick him up and begin deportation proceedings. But the city of Philadelphia refused and instead released the man who would go on to rape a small child under the age of 13.

Why did this happen? Because Philadelphia is a "sanctuary city" -- a jurisdiction that forbids its local law enforcement officers from cooperating with federal immigration officials, even when they want to. Let's understand precisely what this entails: Police on the ground and the Obama administration can agree that an individual is dangerous and should be taken off the streets, but local politicians override their judgment. This is an absurd, dangerous policy. And now, a small child in Philly has paid the price.

Amazingly, even now, there is no guarantee that the city will turn this child predator over to federal officials. Under Philadelphia's sanctuary city policy, police may not share information with federal immigration officials or temporarily hold an illegal immigrant unless the person already has been convicted of a first- or second-degree violent felony and federal officials have a warrant. If Aguirre-Ochoa raises the funds for bail or pleads down to a third-degree felony, he will not satisfy Philadelphia's strict criteria for cooperating with immigration officials. Philadelphia police will not be allowed to notify federal officials of his release, and once again, this predator will be set free to roam the city's streets.

Sadly, this has happened before, as one 7-year-old child knows all too well. In 2013, Jose Palermo-Ramirez, a 43-year-old illegal immigrant, was convicted of indecent assault on a 7-year-old girl. That crime was serious enough to have this pedophile added to the state's sex offender registry, but it was not serious enough for politicians in Philadelphia to cooperate with federal officials. Because his crime constituted a third-degree felony -- not a first- or second-degree felony, as required by the city's policy -- Philadelphia police were not allowed to notify federal immigration officials of Palermo-Ramirez's release. Luckily for Pennsylvania parents, federal law enforcement officers were able to find and deport him, despite the city's lack of help.

Unfortunately, Philadelphia is not alone. There are more than 300 sanctuary cities across America. Places like San Francisco, where 32-year-old Kate Steinle was gunned down by a man who, despite having been convicted of seven felonies and deported five times, was released under the city's sanctuary city policy.

These outrageous policies must end.

That is why I am committed to fighting sanctuary city policies, most recently by introducing the Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act. My legislation would make sanctuary jurisdictions ineligible for certain federal funds. Hopefully, this will prompt sanctuary cities across America to end their dangerous policies.

My fight should not be controversial. Officials from both political parties have recognized the dangers of sanctuary cities. Former governor and lifelong Democrat Ed Rendell has criticized Philadelphia's sanctuary city policy, as has President Obama's Secretary of Homeland Security, Jeh Johnson. And this past July, my bill received bipartisan support. Unfortunately, a minority blocked the U.S. Senate from taking a final vote on the legislation.

The people of Pennsylvania deserve better. They deserve a safe place to work and raise their children. It is past time to end dangerous sanctuary cities.

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