With the influx of illegal immigrants overwhelming the public services of local governments in sanctuary cities such as Chicago, New York, and Denver, many people are wondering what that means for residents of Ottawa County. Locally, we have heard a rumor stating that the previous Ottawa County Board of Commissioners (OCBOC) passed a resolution that made Ottawa County a sanctuary county for illegal aliens. While there seems to be growth in local population, we believe this rumor to be false.
In September of 2019, President Trump issued executive order 13888 concerning local involvement in refugee resettlement. The order basically stated that the Federal Government will seek state and local consent before attempting to resettle refugees. The order sought to ensure communities could and were willing to accommodate the resettlement needs of refugees.
“It is the policy of the United States to cooperate and consult with State and local governments, to take into account the preferences of State governments, and to provide a pathway for refugees to become self-sufficient. These policies support each other. Close cooperation with State and local governments ensures that refugees are resettled in communities that are eager and equipped to support their successful integration into American society and the labor force.”
On January 28, 2020, the OCBOC passed a resolution “to offer Ottawa County’s consent to initial refugee resettlement.” Dozens of citizens commented on the proposed resolution.
The action request (p.123) associated with the resolution sought to add clarification stating, “this refers to Adjudicated Refugees that the Trump Administration has admitted into the country and wants us to accept, so we don't confuse our constituents that this is somehow making Ottawa County a sanctuary county for illegal refugees.” The action request further stated that the consent “could be lifted at any time.”
By contrast, sanctuary cities or counties are created when local governments create or enact policies eliminating United States citizenship or legal residency status as a requirement for accessing programs and services, thereby providing non-US citizens the same benefits or legal protections as US citizens. Sanctuary policies are made to benefit people who enter the United States illegally, not those with legal refugee status.
For example, a city council could direct its public safety department to not ask residency status when they make contact, or detain a person. Correspondingly, state governments have the ability to determine how US citizenship and legal residency status affects obtaining driver’s licenses and identification. Residency status is a Federal matter, and the crime of illegal entry is being ignored by state and local governments that provide sanctuary status.
The issue concerns local rights, state’s rights, and Federal rights. It is the Federal government's responsibility to protect the nation’s borders and its citizens through proper enforcement of immigration policy. It is the responsibility of the state and local governments to push back against the overreaching Federal policies. States could sue the Federal government over not enforcing immigration policy, but many state and local governments are regularly awarded Federal grants with broad definitions on how money can be spent, thereby supporting sanctuary policies.
However, many local governments are now figuring out that they no longer receive enough Federal money to support their sanctuary policies. To compensate, they have to use local resources and taxpayer money to handle the illegal aliens that are coming in. Denver, Colorado is a great example. Recently, Denver city leadership released a plan to divert $90 million of taxpayer dollars to support illegals which they refer to as “newcomers.” The mayor discusses the issue in this video.
Therefore, it is the Federal government, through its lax immigration policy enforcement, that is effectively working towards making all of America a sanctuary, as Biden is using the states to house people without permission. While the current administration is stomping all over state’s rights, many state and city leaders are looking the other way. Unlike Trump’s resettlement program which vetted refugee status, Biden does not have any formal resettlement program in place for the illegals crossing the border.
What occurred in 2020 in Ottawa County regarding the Trump resettlement program for refugees is not the same thing as creating a "sanctuary county.” Refugees are here legally and the resettlement program is a Federal program. The resolution passed in 2020 allowed the Federal government to house refugees on property owned by local government entities in Ottawa County. The Federal government cannot resettle refugees on state or local land without local government permission, just like local governments cannot house their residents on Federal land. Ottawa County did not create new policy or direct local law enforcement to change how they handled non-US residents. All it did was grant permission for the Federal government to work with Ottawa County to use local government land in support of a Federal program.