The editorial board of the Cornell University student newspaper recently decried the arrest of an illegal immigrant by U.S. Immigrations and Custom Enforcement (ICE) as “federal overreach.”
“ICE cannot come into our city, snatch our community members off the street in broad daylight and without informing local authorities, and then refuse to divulge any further information, including the identity of the man arrested,” The Cornell Daily Sun declares, applauding Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick for his “vociferous defense of Ithaca’s sanctuary status.”
However, in his defense of sanctuary cities, Myricks himself acknowledges that even if ICE agents are not welcome in Ithaca, “we can’t stop them.”
As a result, The Daily Sun’s editors call on Ithaca’s federal representatives to “immediately demand answers from ICE regarding their latest intrusion into New York State.”
The editorial concludes by stating that “if President Trump, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and DHS Secretary Nielsen believe that their heavy-handed tactics will cow sanctuary cities like Ithaca into submission, they are sadly mistaken.”
Just a few days prior, The Daily Sun published another editorial outlining ways for Ithaca to “maintain its resolve against the increasingly brazen ICE agency,” saying Cornell “can and should do more” to assist the city in enforcing its sanctuary status.
“Cornell Law should reinvigorate its Legal Aid clinic to provide services for more Ithaca residents and the Cornell student body should continue to pressure leaders at all levels of government to speak out against the Trump administration’s heartless immigration policies,” the editorial suggested.
Both editorials were written in response to ICE arresting several illegal immigrants across western New York, including three in Ithaca. ICE reported in a press release that half of those arrested during the sweep had prior criminal convictions, while four others were fugitives, and another six had re-entered the country illegally after being deported.
Read the rest at: ICE enforcement
