New analysis has revealed that nearly 8 million undocumented immigrants are currently living in sanctuary areas across the United States.
According to a report from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), which tracks locations that shield illegal immigrants from federal immigration enforcement, approximately 7.9 million undocumented individuals reside in sanctuary cities, counties, and states.
“Although there is much imprecision in the data, the bottom line is that close to eight million illegal aliens, equaling 56 percent of the estimated nationwide total, live in sanctuary jurisdictions,” wrote Jason Richwine of CIS.
Richwine further indicates that roughly 6.3 million undocumented immigrants live in sanctuary states, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, and Washington.
Additionally, more than 750,000 illegal aliens are located in Maryland, New Mexico, and Virginia, areas known for having a high number of sanctuary jurisdictions.
In places outside of traditionally high-immigration states, such as Douglas County, Kansas, and New Orleans, Louisiana, over 820,000 illegal immigrants reside in sanctuary cities and counties.
Richwine advocates for other states to follow the example of Texas and Florida, both of which have implemented statewide bans on sanctuary jurisdictions.
“Those two states have no local sanctuaries because they ban them statewide. Every state should follow their lead,” Richwine stated. “Eliminating sanctuaries is one of the most important steps that states can take to assist the Trump administration with enforcement.”
Thomas Homan, the incoming Border Czar, has called on sanctuary states and counties to reverse their policies that protect illegal immigrants, arguing that such policies complicate efforts by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to make arrests.
“I want to send a clear message: If you let us in the jail, we can arrest the bad guy in the jail and in the safety and security of the jail,” Homan said during a Fox News interview. “One officer could do that, but when you release a public safety threat back in the community, you put the community at risk. You put my officers at risk. You put the alien at risk.”
{Matzav.com}