Kalamazoo to become Sanctuary City

Kalamazoo's police chief has committed to fight against fighting crime.

Kalamazoo police won't enforce immigration laws

KALAMAZOO -- A year ago, then-newly appointed Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Chief Jeff Hadley assured a local advocacy group that the police have no intention of enforcing federal immigration laws.

On Thursday, he returned with a written draft of a policy on the subject, drawing strong applause.

By making a written policy, Hadley said it will assure undocumented immigrants they are safe in turning to the police for help without fear of being deported.

This argument is a sham, as we shall see a few paragraphs below.

"We have people in our community living in the shadows, afraid to come out and seek out help," Hadley told the audience of 600-plus at the Kalamazoo Expo Center and Fairground auditorium.

Hadley has apparently memorized the checklist of inane immigration cliches.

The assembly was hosted by the Michigan Organizing Project, a West Michigan church-based advocacy group for social and economic change.

Any group that has 'Organizing' in its name is bad news.

Although the draft policy was not distributed, Hadley said it prohibits police from soliciting immigration status for traffic violations and nonviolent crimes.

But wait a minute. Wasn't this about crime victims contacting police? How does not checking the criminals that you catch help with that?

At least it's just 'non-violent crimes'. Like identity theft, drug smuggling, supplying guns to criminals, drunk driving, etc. All 'non-violent'.

Hadley said he hopes the draft will be finalized next month after being reviewed by the agency's two police unions.

Also at Thursday's meeting, Kalamazoo City Commissioners Sean McCann, Stephanie Moore and Don Cooney committed to continuing dialogue and pursuing revisions to requirements of employers who receive tax abatements from the city.

In addition, a representative for U.S. Sen. Carl Levin said the Democratic senator supports the Michigan Organizing Project's four principals for comprehensive immigration reform. A representative for U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, said the congressman is committed to continuing dialogue.

The argument about poor crime victims contacting police is a fraud. A policy of not asking about immigration strictly in such cases might be a good idea. But there is no justification not to check on people you catch committing crimes. Such a policy certainly doesn't help the poor, bedraggled illegal alien crime victims in whose name this policy is justified.

The only people who support such a policy are radical leftist pro-criminal 'community organizers' and racist ethnic lobbies that oppose any enforcement of immigration laws. Even in left-wing burgs like San Francisco, majorities oppose sanctuary policies. (Admittedly, this shortly after several brutal crimes committed by illegal aliens who had been in and out of police custody.)

The 'immigration laws are federal laws' argument is a sham, too. Is there any other federal law for which local police would refuse to arrest people who break it and turn them over to the feds?

Well, Cliff, we caught you engaging in counterfeiting. But that's a federal law, so who cares? Go on! You're free!

In any case, illegal aliens almost certainly break local laws too. They obtain counterfeit identification documents and drive illegally. Some sign up for government benefits fraudulently.

Illegal Immigrants are Criminals. But these days, Kalamazoo apparently is only interested in 'crimes' like 'discriminating' against cross-dressers.

Be warned.