Posted on 05/27/2007 2:49:49 PM PDT by Baladas
PROSPECT PARK – Shortly after Mayor Mohamed Khairullah honored those in the armed forces who sacrificed their lives for their fellow Americans, he signed an executive order Friday night, upholding the rights of those seeking to live in America.
The so-called "sanctuary" order is the first of its kind to be issued in Passaic County and is modeled after an order signed by Trenton Mayor Douglas H. Palmer in December 2004.
The four-page document is largely symbolic, but runs counter to recent ordinances adopted by other municipal governments restricting the rights of unregistered immigrants.
It invokes a U.S. Supreme Court ruling stating that undocumented aliens are protected by the U.S. Constitution and are entitled to the full benefit of municipal services without showing proof of immigration status. The order also prohibits police from asking immigrants for documentation in situations such as traffic stops.
"Basically, what we're saying is, 'This is the job of immigration officials,'" Khairullah said. "We're a municipal government. We're not going to interfere with the immigration issue. We're telling our employees to treat everyone the same."
After perusing a copy of the Trenton order on Friday, Police Chief Frank Franco said the measure would not affect police department operations.
"This is what we are doing anyway," Franco said.
At least seven New Jersey municipalities are considering similar executive orders, said Romi Herrera, of the Peruvian American Political Action Committee, who helped negotiate the Prospect Park agreement.
The sanctuary agreements are an effort to counteract a wave of recent local legislation aimed at restricting the rights of illegal immigrants in cities such as Hazelton, Pa., and Riverside, N.J. In both cases, local ordinances attempting to restrict the hiring or renting of apartments to undocumented immigrants have been ruled unconstitutional -- but are still tied up in legal challenges.
An effort under way in Morristown seeks to deputize the township's local police to enforce immigration law. Those are the types of initiatives that backers of the sanctuary measures say they are trying to counteract.
But Councilman Richard Esquiche said the mayor's executive order signed on Friday was not in response to actions in other communities, but rather to the growing ethnic diversity he sees within the borough.
"It's more of a reminder to the residents of their human rights," Esquiche said
I knew New Jersey was not a nice place but I didn’t realize how bad it is.
New Jerky rides again...
Believe me, I know it sucks.
between the muzzies and illegals....nj ~ perfect together!!!
They must have hired the Church of Scientology's public relations people.
...you forgot about the natives. it's a winning combination.
LOL! I’m not a native of NJ, I was born and half raised in NY(moved to NJ at the age of 11)...I can’t decide which state is worse...blame my parents. :0/
WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! TILL YOU RUN OUT OF INK IN YOUR PEN!
Bombard the Democrats as well, especially the ones that ran on an anti immigration plank and the ones in marginal districts who could be vulnerable. keep pounding on them.
The courts made this possible, and Sandra Day O’Conner doesn’t seem to understand why Americans are seemingly hostile to judges and the courts. Crystal clear to me.
All the adjoining towns should declare every street entering the town ONE WAY; into Prospect Park. Then put up gates. < /rant >
How about King Jorge and the Federal government?
How about Mayor Mohamed Khairullah leaving our country and returning to his birthplace to prove his stupidity there, not here.
I’ll be glad to donate a swift kick in the ass.
Syrian-born Mohamed Khairullah
American Muslims, who stayed low after 9/11, are now entering mainstream politics
http://jscms.jrn.columbia.edu/cns/2006-04-18/abraham-mohamedkhairullah/
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