PHOENIX – On Jan. 25, Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton issued the following statements regarding President Donald Trump’s executive orders:
“Today the president unleashed a divisive attack on Latinos in Phoenix and around the country.
“The president’s executive orders will not make us safer, but instead will incite fear and chaos for Latinos and immigrants alike. But be assured: We will fight the federal government’s attempt to turn Phoenix Police Department into a mass deportation force.
“Building a wall will only tear our economy down and damage relationships with Mexico that today support 100,000 Arizona jobs.
“Despite today’s unsettling news – and with the anticipation of more harmful policies to come from this administration – Phoenix will remain a welcoming and diverse city that strives every day to treat residents with dignity and respect, no matter who you are, who you love or where you come from.”
Stanton received a scathing response to his comments on Jan. 31 in a letter from Ken Crane, president of Phoenix Law Enforcement Association (PLEA).
Crane stated, “To say I was disappointed would be an understatement,” and wanted to know how securing our southern border and enforcing the law is a divisive attack.
He asked Stanton, “Is governing a country according to the rule of law and expecting those who come here to abide by the same, a divisive attack? Why do you shackle a people group and culture with a federal crime that, like any other illegal activity, is based upon choice and not dictated by skin color?”
Crane said Stanton’s remarks rose to a level of “fear mongering and ethnic bias.”
He wondered why Phoenix Police Department has been able to consistently, successfully and constitutionally partner with federal law enforcement entities such as DEA, ATF, FBI and U.S. Postal Inspectors, while over the years Phoenix PD has routinely been discouraged from partnering with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the border patrol due to harmful policies and political positions.
Crane wrote, “As police officers that man the front lines with the goal of equal treatment under the law, it appears easy for some liberal politicians ensconced in a 12th floor office in city hall to make statements that only serve to pander to selective and elite voting blocks.”
Pointing out the threat of attack is more real today in America than ever before, Crane stated, “As one of four southern border states, we are literally on the front lines in the war on terror, narcotics trafficking and human smuggling. Our porous border is an open invitation and an open gateway to those who would do us harm,” and noted our southern border has only become more dangerous since PLEA and the border patrol gave Stanton a first-hand tour at the onset of his first mayoral campaign.
As a sovereign nation, Crane asked Stanton if we don’t have every right to protect our borders and screen those who enter to protect the security of our citizens and economic infrastructure.
Crane said the men and women in law enforcement deserve more from a mayor than someone who would trade the safety of the community, PLEA members and police personnel for political pandering.
He also asked Stanton to take a moment to remember over a dozen Phoenix police officers who either paid the ultimate sacrifice or were seriously injured and harmed in the line of duty at the hands of illegal aliens.
Those 14 officers were either killed or injured by people who should have never been in the country to begin with but chose to take advantage of open borders and sanctuary city policies.
Crane also pointed out, in addition to police officers, myriad citizens nationwide have been victimized, murdered, raped, kidnapped and assaulted at the hands of illegal aliens, many of which were previously deported felons that returned through the “open revolving door that has been our southern border for the last three decades.”
Stating border security is and always will be of great importance to the men and women who man the front lines every day, Crane chastised Stanton for his commitment to sanctuary policies, which do nothing to help matters, improve quality of life or improve safety to his members’ work environment.
Crane stated, “On Jan. 20, 2017, the vast majority of the men and women in law enforcement nationwide heaved a collective sigh of relief knowing we finally got a Commander in Chief who understands the rule of law, understands the importance of protecting our country and is not willing to bow to political correctness when it comes to national security and border security.”
Although he would have asked Stanton to reconsider his statements if he didn’t know it would simply fall on deaf ears, Crane told Stanton to “stay safe” in his 12th floor office, behind the private security guards at the doors to city hall with his armed security detail that escorts him to and from home and to appointments each day.
In conclusion, Crane wrote, “My guess is it would be too much to ask you to side with the men and women in law enforcement and the citizens of Phoenix over people who choose to enter the country illegally. The rank and file cops who do the heavy lifting every day will take it from here and we’ll keep running to the gun fights. It’s what we do.”
On Feb. 1, Rick Robinson, a resident of Phoenix, filed a petition with Phoenix City Council requesting it adopt a resolution to “demonstrate leadership in protecting the many productive and law abiding members of our community who happen to be undocumented immigrants,” claiming police officers who assist in the enforcement of federal immigration laws deter illegal aliens from reporting crimes, while exposing them to the risk of deportation.
In his petition, Robinson noted Stanton’s opposition to Trump’s executive order and his support for protecting illegal aliens residing in Phoenix, and stated, “[L]awmakers in California have set an important example for the rest of the country by introducing legislation that would make California a sanctuary state.”
The city issued the following statement upon receipt of Robinson’s petition: “Following the city charter, a citizen petitioned the Phoenix City Council to have Phoenix Police no longer follow their operations order on how police officers comply with state law on federal immigration enforcement and also declare Phoenix a sanctuary city,” while referencing the relevant part of the Phoenix City Charter regarding citizen petitions, which stipulates petitions “must be acted upon by the council … within 15 days.”
On Friday, Feb. 3 District 6 Councilman Sal DiCiccio said Phoenix will vote on the request for sanctuary city status at its formal council meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 15 and stated, “I will vote no.”
DiCiccio stated, “I am firmly opposed to the effort to make Phoenix a sanctuary city. I don’t believe any local government should be able to pick and choose the laws they want to enforce. Additionally, I believe such a move would be illegal and would put our officers in the unethical position of having to ignore their oath to uphold state and federal laws.”
