It's not fun being a sanctuary city anymore
Once upon a time, it was so much fun being a sanctuary city. It made you popular with immigration activists and the self-declared "enlightened" class. Suddenly, sanctuary cities are about dealing with migrants who accepted your invitation. As someone said on the TV, it's like inviting a bunch of people for dinner and then realizing that you can't pay the bill.
The problem is really serious in the so-called "blue cities" as Naomi Lin recently wrote:
New York City's struggle to care for about 110,000 immigrants who have arrived in the city since last year is having political repercussions for President Joe Biden, more than 200 miles away in Washington, D.C.
But the political ramifications for Biden are not only emanating from New York City but also other Democratic-run cities, including Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia, before next year's election.
What is unfolding in New York City regarding immigrants is "a prime example of what happens when you combine bad local policies with poor enforcement of federal immigration laws," according to Republican strategist Lanhee Chen.
"NYC's policies have created a permissive environment where, unsurprisingly, migrants have fled to seek shelter," Chen, policy director of Sen. Mitt Romney's (R-UT) 2012 presidential campaign, told the Washington Examiner. "Even blue-state governors like Maura Healey in Massachusetts have decried the 'crisis of inaction' within the Biden administration when it comes to enforcement of federal immigration laws."
Crisis of inaction? A permissive environment? How about a good case of demagogic policies meeting reality?
I don't feel sorry for any of these Democrats. They played this issue against Governor Greg Abbott in Texas. They preached tolerance, diversity, inclusion, and everything else.
Now, Mayor Eric Adams is threatening to make budget cuts and the governor of Massachusetts doesn't know what to do. Sorry, but I can't feel their pain.
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Image: Tim Pierce