{"id":17590,"date":"2018-09-10T14:23:13","date_gmt":"2018-09-10T18:23:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/live-immigrationreform.pantheonsite.io\/?p=17590"},"modified":"2018-12-28T10:00:43","modified_gmt":"2018-12-28T15:00:43","slug":"anti-ice-insanity-could-lead-to-ban-all-homeland-security-contracts-in-nyc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.immigrationreform.com\/2018\/09\/10\/anti-ice-insanity-could-lead-to-ban-all-homeland-security-contracts-in-nyc\/","title":{"rendered":"Anti-ICE Insanity Could Lead to Ban All Homeland Security Contracts in NYC"},"content":{"rendered":"

One day after the nation observes the 17th<\/sup> anniversary of Sept. 11, the New York City Council will vote on a measure to prohibit the city from contracting with \u201centities engaged in immigration enforcement,\u201d including those dealing with anti-terrorism training.<\/p>\n

The measure<\/a> introduced by City Councilman Carlos Menchaca, a Democrat, is so incredibly beyond reason and potentially harmful that even the Mayor Bill de Blasio has refused to back it \u2013 and he backs any item on the open borders agenda.<\/p>\n

One of the primary arguments against it is the simple fact that the city only has two contracts with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), only one of which affects U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE\u2019s parent entity, and neither agreement pertains whatsoever to civil immigration enforcement\u00a0.<\/p>\n

New York City Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Bitta Mostofi testified at a Sept. 6 council hearing<\/a> that the city has one contract that allows DHS agents access to use a city lab to test the air for biotoxins.<\/p>\n

The other contract gives agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) permission to use the NYPD\u2019s Bronx firing range. HSI is the criminal investigations division of ICE,\u00a0 and is responsible for enforcing myriad federal statutes covering everything from terrorism to customs violations.<\/p>\n

Mostofi noted the \u201ccontract serves extremely important national security interests, and is unrelated to civil immigration enforcement,\u201d but that did not play on Menchaca\u2019s deaf ears and mind.<\/p>\n

Menchaca argued at last week\u2019s meeting that \u201crogue immigration enforcement under ICE has been a problem since its inception,\u201d which reinforced the need to \u201cdisentangle\u201d the city from ICE\u00a0.<\/p>\n

He added that the issue is \u201cnot just about dollars and cents, about a contract with revenue, but also a message to a community that needs us to stand up and say no\u201d and to \u201cstrengthen our standing as a sanctuary city.\u201d In short, according to Menchaca, the benefits of the bill\u2019s symbolism far outweigh any cost to security. He is, apparently, as convinced of his own virtue as he is that he has the votes necessary to pass the bill \u2013 regardless of the mayor\u2019s position.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis Council has done many things against the will of this mayor, so theoretically, absolutely we will have\u201d the votes, he said, according to the New York Post<\/a>.<\/u><\/p>\n

The city\u2019s sanctuary city policies already have created security risks in the Big Apple, but whether other council members are willing to undermine efforts to prevent another terrorist attack for the sake of appearances and immigrants\u2019 feelings will be known Wednesday when they vote on the bill.