California Immigration Advocates Say Sanctuary Policies Make Cities Safe; Poll Finds Citizens Overwhelmingly Want ICE Enforcement

San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi may think California’s 35 or so sanctuary cities are a good idea and keep citizens safe. And Mirkarimi has friends in high places who agree with him like Gov. Jerry Brown, retiring Sen. Barbara Boxer, former San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Kamala Harris. Even President Obama is on board.
 
Californians, however, strongly oppose giving criminal aliens safe haven, and by a significant margin, according to a recent online poll conducted by the University of California Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies. Among 1,098 residents, 99.5 percent of whom self-identified as citizens, the poll found that every cross section of Californians wants local authorities to cooperate with federal immigration officials and honor Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers.
 
The margins are impressive: 74 percent of respondents said local authorities should comply with ICE requests if the detainees are aliens. Included among those who favor enforcement are 73 percent of Democrats, 82 percent of Republicans and 71 percent of Independents.
 
More interesting, immigration enforcement receives majority support among all ethnicities: Latinos, 65 percent; Asian Americans, 75 percent; 65 percent of Latino respondents; 75 percent of Asian Americans and African Americans; and 80 percent of whites. They all want ICE to take custody of criminal aliens.
 
Pollsters questioned half the participants with a reference to Kate Steinle’s murder, while the other half was queried about the sanctuary city policy in general, but without mention of Steinle’s killing.

Californians not fooled  by Sanctuary City advocacy.

Some may find the results surprising, but I don’t. Releasing criminal aliens into the general public puts everyone at risk, regardless of their ethnicity. Despite the insistence from Gov. Brown and other advocates that sanctuary cities make communities safe, the poll shows that Californians know hogwash when they hear it.
 
In a related subject, Judge Brendan Conroy found enough evidence against Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez to try him. A jury will decide if Lopez-Sanchez, a five-time deported, seven-time convicted felon, is guilty of second degree murder or manslaughter.