And Here's the Text of Tancredo's Statement - FTR

(Note: Read an eye-witness account of Tancredo's press conference in Newark posted at VFR.)

Statement of the Honorable Tom Tancredo Newark, NJ August 20, 2007

The fact that Newark, New Jersey is a “sanctuary city” for illegal aliens is now well known. In addition, it has been widely reported that two of the alleged perpetrators of this heinous act, which occurred two weeks ago Saturday resulting in the deaths of three young students and the wounding of a fourth, are in this country illegally. Both have prior arrests on charges ranging from sexual assault on a child to robbery and illegal possession of weapons...

If the alleged assailants are found guilty of these brutal crimes, Newark and its political leadership share a degree of culpability. They have established a sanctuary city policy in violation of federal law, harbored illegal aliens, and their actions have directly contributed to the deaths of three promising young American kids.

I am encouraging the families of the victims to pursue the option of a lawsuit in light of this culpability. Not only are sanctuary cities a moral outrage that restricts the flow of information to and from ICE, they are illegal-violating the plain language of 8 USC 1373.

Mayor Cory Booker and Governor Jon Corzine have apologized to the people of Newark for not having done enough. They are right, they have not. But their apologies are meaningless if they aren’t willing to do their jobs now.

Sanctuary cities are safe havens for all illegal aliens including gang members, drug dealers, rapists, and murderers, further exposing the law-abiding citizens of such cities to greater crime. According to the Center for immigration Studies, a confidential California Department for Justice study found that fifteen years after Los Angeles declared itself a sanctuary city, 60% of LA’s most violent gangs, with membership in the tens of thousands, were illegal aliens. Of all outstanding murder warrants as of 2004 in Los Angeles, 95% are for illegal aliens.

Because the leaders of this city and this state can not find the courage to put the safety of those they were sworn to protect above all else, we now read that a movement was launched last week aimed at increasing the number of sanctuary cities in New Jersey. It is time someone made it clear that sanctuary cities are a travesty of justice and innocent people are paying the price of leaders gone amuck.

As a nation we can no longer permit our cities and communities to thumb their noses at the laws of our land; and we can no longer allow illegal aliens to be above the law. The consequences of this lawlessness are simply too high.

It is time for Congress to pass a law that bans the flow of federal moneys to all sanctuary cities. For years I have offered such amendments to various appropriations bills. This year I was successful in doing so on the Homeland Security Appropriations bill. There will be attempts in the Senate to remove my amendment, and I appeal to all Americans to demand their Senators resist such attempts.

In addition I personally believe there is a possibility that the political leadership of this and other sanctuary cities may be subject to criminal charges for aiding and abetting illegal aliens. Although I have no hope that the Bush administration’s Justice Department would ever pursue an inquiry, I assure you, mine would.

Thirdly, citizens of sanctuary cities need to demand their leaders cease and desist with such policies and in their place implement procedures that would assure that local law enforcement teams work with all other such agencies to assure the rule of law is re-established throughout the land. If their leaders refuse, they must be held accountable not only in the courts but also on Election Day.

It’s time Americans take back their country.

Thank you very much. I will gladly take questions." (emphasis mine)