Graham: N.H. plans ban on sanctuary policies

Granite State Republican Kelly Ayotte successfully ran for governor on a campaign warning voters, “Don’t MASS Up New Hampshire.” And now the Boston City Council is giving her the chance to put those words into action.

On Wednesday, Boston’s all-Democrat council voted 13-0 to reaffirm the city’s commitment to its Boston Trust Act sanctuary policies.

Specifically, Boston police are banned from holding an illegal immigrant solely on the basis of a civil detainer from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They are also not allowed to inform ICE when an illegal immigrant is being released from jail.

For example, ICE announced earlier this week it had to track down Julio Esteban Batista-Castillo, 24, an illegal immigrant who had been arraigned in Roxbury District Court “on multiple assault and battery charges, kidnapping, malicious destruction of property, breaking and entering and home invasion.

“Batista has been accused of very serious crimes, including assault and battery involving strangulation and a firearm,” said ERO Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “So ERO Boston lodged an immigration detainer against him with the Roxbury District Court — a simple request for law enforcement officers to hold him in custody for a short time so our officers could arrest him in a safe, controlled setting. Unfortunately, the detainer was not honored, putting everyone in the community and our officers at risk.”

Boston’s city council reiterated its support for this policy in response to the election of Donald Trump and his calls for “mass deportations” of illegal immigrants. Ayotte responded the next day with a statement of her own.

“Our neighbors to the south seem intent on proving that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. As they struggle with a billion-dollar illegal immigrant crisis, they are instead choosing to double down,” Ayotte said.

“Here in New Hampshire, we are going to ban sanctuary policies and give law enforcement the tools to work together to ensure this crisis never comes to our towns.”

Part of that work is passing a ban on sanctuary cities in the Granite State. One such bill passed the state Senate last year, but died in the closely-divided New Hampshire House, thanks to unanimous opposition from Democrats.

Ayotte and her fellow Republicans made the sanctuary city issue a central part of their campaigns. Voters responded by giving Ayotte a nine-point victory over Democrat Joyce Craig and handing Republicans a 222-178 majority in the House.

“With a GOP majority in the House and Senate, I look forward to working with Senate President (Sharon) Carson (R-Londonderry) and Speaker (Sherman) Packard (R-Londonderry) to get the sanctuary city ban passed as quickly as possible and on my desk to sign it,” Ayotte said.

Meanwhile, Massachusetts continues making headlines as it defends sanctuary policies and deals with the consequences.

Last month, ERO Boston released a press statement announcing three separate arrests of illegal immigrants charged with or convicted of sex crimes:

— An illegal immigrant from Guatemala arrested on charges of raping a child and indecent assault and battery against a minor in Great Barrington.

— An illegal immigrant from Colombia charged with child rape, statutory rape, and aggravated rape of a minor in Pittsfield.

— A third arrest, this one in Methuen, though the illegal immigrant was convicted of child rape in Brazil and sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Those stories haven’t stopped Massachusetts Democrats from embracing sanctuary policies.

Last month, elected officials in Somerville voted to reaffirm itself as a “Welcoming Community” — meaning officials will continue the city’s “voluntary involvement in federal immigration enforcement.”

“The Somerville Police Department shall not take part in or assist with federal immigration enforcement operations,” the resolution states.

And Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Maura Healey has said her administration will “use every tool” to thwart the incoming Trump administration’s enforcement of federal immigration laws.

Asked about Democrats in the legislature who might be re-thinking their support for sanctuary cities in the wake of last month’s elections, Ayotte said they should.

“I heard loud and clear on the campaign trail that this is an important issue to the voters. It’s important to keep people safe, and it’s also important that we follow and enforce the laws,” she said. “I would welcome any Democrats who want to support this bill because public safety should be a bipartisan issue.”

Michael Graham is the managing editor of InsideSources.com.