San Francisco Murder Calls Sanctuary Cities Into Question, Controversy

Depending upon which source you examine there are anywhere from 43 to 276 sanctuary cities in the U.S.  These are places where local officials defy federal immigration laws by offering protection to known illegal aliens - even those with criminal records, backrounds and wanted fugitives.

The recent fatal shooting of a young woman in San Francisco has renewed pressure from citizens, law enforcement and political leaders to eliminate this practice. Some are calling for the cities to simply stop offering refuge for these illegals, others are calling for actual prosecution for city officials and others responsible for helping these people when an illegal commits a crime.

Sanctuary cities don't enforce immigration laws, and 'turn their back' on community or religious groups that offer food, shelter and other assistance to known illegal aliens.

Nearly two weeks ago, 32-year-old Kathryn Steinle was fatally shot by a illegal immigrant felon who was released from prison earlier this year.  She was killed on the waterfront Pier 14.

  According to the Federalist Papers online, some 276 cities who deem themselves as sanctuary cities have released over 8,000 illegals who have known criminal records or are facing federal charges. This was done despite demands they be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation.  These would be the documented expulsions discussed recently on the Meet in The Middle Program.

According to the Federalist, a new report shows just how rampant and lawless these sanctuary cities are becoming:

"The Center for Immigration Studies, revealing new numbers it received under the Freedom of Information Act, said that those releases from cities that ignored federal demands came over just eight months and are just part of an even larger release of 17,000 illegals with criminal records.

Author Jessica M. Vaughan, director of policy Studies for the center, also reported that many of those illegals have been rearrested after their release and charged with nearly 7,500 new charges, including child sex abuse."

Besides the renewed attention being paid to these illegal cities over the death of Steinle,  it has also been noted her death went unnoticed by the White House.  President Obama never reached out to the family, never issued any public comments or statements of consequence. But he did find the time to personally write letters to 46 non violent drug offenders who were having their sentences commuted by his executive orders.

In Washington state, King County and Seattle are considered sanctuary cities.  A measure to make Olympia one as well, however, was shot down several years ago in the city council, and has not been reconsidered since.