For the second time, Gov. Ralph Northam has vetoed a bill to prevent the establishment of sanctuary cities in Virginia \u2013 a complete reversal of his 2017 campaign promise to sign into law anti-sanctuary cities measures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the midst of a tight battle with Republican Ed\nGillespie, and with his record as Lt. Governor under the scrutiny, the\nDemocratic gubernatorial candidate Northam claimed he was opposed to sanctuary\ncities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t support sanctuary cities,\u201d Northam declared during an October debate<\/a>, <\/p>\n\n\n\n He even went so far as to promise to sign legislation that outlaws sanctuary jurisdictions in Virginia if elected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf that bill comes to by desk \u2026. I sure will. I\u2019ve always been opposed to sanctuary cities,\u201d said Northam in an interview<\/a> in the final week of the campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the end of the campaign came the end of Northam\u2019s\nfidelity to the rule of law, which was evident last week when he once again\nkilled efforts to ensure Virginia would be sanctuary city-free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Passed by the Virginia legislature, Senate Bill 1156<\/a> was a one-sentence bill stating that \u201c<\/strong>no locality shall adopt any ordinance, procedure, or policy intended to restrict the enforcement of federal immigration laws.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just days after police annou<\/a>n<\/a>ced the arrest<\/a> of five MS-13 gang members in a brutal stabbing of a 16-year old Virginia boy, Northam vetoed the bill. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In his March 19 veto statement<\/a>, Northam claimed the bill would \u201cforce local law enforcement agencies to use precious resources to perform functions that are the responsibility of federal immigration enforcement agencies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Last week\u2019s veto echoed the one issued last year<\/a> – all the way down to the language used in his veto statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Again, the entire text of HB 1257<\/a> was less than 20 words and made no mention of local law enforcement actively assisting federal immigration agents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nonetheless, in his April 9, 2018 statement<\/a>, Northam characterized the bill as aiming to \u201cdivert state and local law enforcement resources for political purposes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to killing the anti-sanctuary cities bill, Northam also vetoed House Bill 2270<\/a>, which would require local law enforcement notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) once the release date of an incarcerated illegal alien becomes known.<\/p>\n\n\n\n