Is Time Running Out for Sanctuary Cities?

In the end, the conflict between federal immigration authorities and protesters in Minneapolis boiled down to one fundamental policy question: Should sanctuary cities be allowed to exist? Should cities, and counties, and states be allowed to prohibit their police from cooperating with the enforcement of federal immigration law, even as those local agencies cooperate with all other law enforcement?

In the wake of Minneapolis, some hardcore Democratic leaders are doubling down on sanctuary policies. Erika Smith at Bloomberg summarized what's going on in a piece titled "This Immigration Crackdown Is Creating More Sanctuary Cities." Abigail Spanberger, the new Democratic governor of Virginia, has ordered state authorities to cancel any agreements with the federal government allowing cooperation with immigration enforcement. In New York, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul is pushing a bill to do the same thing. In New Jersey, new Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill has signed an order that in many situations will bar federal immigration authorities from state property. And in Maryland, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore is hoping to bar local jails from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.