Why This Matters Now
If you look at it from the Trump Administration’s perspective, they see a dire need to protect American citizens from illegal activity and job poaching, and they’re pointing to rising concerns about unvetted entrants, and visa holders whose visas have expired.
“Immigration policy is inherently a national responsibility, and states that set up parallel or competing immigration rules undermine the uniform application of the law.” says Mark Krikorian, Executive Director at the Center for Immigration Studies.
“Most illegal immigrants do not sneak across the border but rather arrive on visas and never leave. If we’re not going to enforce immigration laws in the interior of the country, we’re never going to get a handle on illegal immigration.”
—Mark Krikorian, quoted in The Washington Times, February 2017
Meanwhile, advocacy groups like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) are preparing for fierce legal battles, challenging the administration’s authority to penalize local governments for setting their own sanctuary policies. This tug-of-war is sure to escalate in the months ahead.
