The public interest law firm Mississippi Institute for Justice issued the following statement.
Mississippi Justice Institute Files Complaint Challenging Jackson’s Sanctuary City Policy
Jackson ignores federal, state immigration law and violates public records laws,
drawing legalchallenge from MJI
(JACKSON) – The Mississippi Justice Institute (MJI) filed a complaint today at the Mississippi Ethics Commission stating that the City of Jackson is illegally destroying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers.
"Jackson blatantly violates the law by throwing ICE detainers in the trash can," said MJI Director Shadrack White. "When MJI asked the City of Jackson what they did with ICE detainers, the City said they do not keep or maintain those records.”
ICE detainers are letters the federal government sends to local law enforcement when ICE believes local police have arrested someone who is in the country illegally. ICE detainers ask local police to hold those suspects until ICE can take custody of the illegal immigrant.
“Jackson has a responsibility to keep ICE detainers so they can be examined by the City’s taxpayers and citizens. Jackson residents deserve to know how many people who should have been deported are now walking the streets.”
In January, MJI filed a public records request with Jackson, asking for documents related to ICE detainers received by the Jackson Police Department. City officials acknowledged to MJI that “[t]here are not records kept or maintained by the department regarding detainer or immigration hold request” (sic).
That response led MJI to file the fifth major case in its history. MJI has also sued Jackson over its onerous regulations on new taxi businesses, has defended the rights of Mississippi charter school parents in a landmark constitutional case, and has fought to make local politicians obey open meetings laws in two other cases.
This is not the first time Jackson has been in hot water over its immigration policies. In November 2017 and January 2018, the Trump Administration’s Department of Justice sent letters to Jackson warning that the City had adopted dangerous “sanctuary policies” protecting illegal immigrants. Jackson was one of only 29 jurisdictions in the country to receive such a letter, joining places like San Francisco and Berkeley.
“Thanks to the Department of Justice, we found out that Jackson tells its police officers they cannot ask for information about the immigration status of someone they arrest. That’s a violation of federal immigration law and the state law banning sanctuary policies. Now we also know that when ICE asks Jackson PD to hold an illegal immigrant for deportation, Jackson simply throws ICE’s request in the garbage,” said White. “It’s a reckless policy.”
“Jackson needs to follow the law and keep its streets safe,” added White. “City leadership needs to show some compassion for good, honest folks who just want safe neighborhoods. Throwing away requests to hold illegal immigrants who have been arrested for a crime is no way to do that.”
“We’re prepared to take this matter all the way to the Mississippi Supreme Court if necessary,” said White. “We’re going to stand up for law-abiding Jackson residents and everyone who cares about government transparency. With this complaint, we hope the Ethics Commission will demand that Jackson stop destroying ICE detainers.”
“Someone has to demand that Jackson obey the law, and that’s exactly why the Mississippi Justice Institute exists,” said White.
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The Mississippi Justice Institute is the legal arm of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy. It represents Mississippians whose state or federal Constitutional rights have been threatened by government actions.
Mississippi Justice Institute is supported by voluntary, tax-deductible contributions. It receives no funds from
government agencies for its operations. To learn more about MJI, visit www.msjustice.org.
20 comments:
This is what you get when you vote for the candidate promising the most radical city - good luck Jackson! I'm happy to watch this mess unfold from afar (very afar).
Why wasn't Jim Hood all over this? OH! I forgot he's a Democrat Too. I going to Jackson Jambalaya & msjustice.org & give a donation. I hate these liberal left politicians.
How would the city of Jackson survive without federal funds? Stay tuned to find out.
Let's see how much money Mayor Gum Flap wastes litigating this loser.
The problem is that Baby Chok thinks he's bigger-time than he is - he's placing himself on par with sanctuary city/state morons from much larger cities, with larger budgets. His ego is going to cost the city a lot of money in legal fees, and when federal agencies get serious about denying grant applications based on a city's compliance with federal law, it will hurt the city even more.
But....I really don't give a shit - I'm just embarrassed to say that I lived in a city that prioritizes the rights of illegal aliens before those of actual US citizens. Way to go Jackson!
Jackson can't keep their own LEGAL Citizen/Criminals in jail. And you expected what?
Shock way lives for stuff like this---
This is precisely what was meant by the phrase, "The Big Payback"
By the way, did Andrew Smith, the white carpenter/human rights organizer from New York ever relocate to Jackson to live in the city of the man in whom he had "deep trust"? Didn't think so.
Baby Chokwe has absolutely no idea how illegal immigration has destroyed black job opportunities over the past 30 yrs... look at chicago, they have so many illegal Polish immigrants now the cleaning ladies are polish not black and blacks are suffering. Chicago is just one example.
Lumumba is like a Republican. He owes his office to the black community but after getting elected works against their best interests. With all the problems Jackson is facing Lumumba dithers away valuable time and resources on matters that bring him headlines but yields NOTHING effectively for his dying city.
I live in Northeast Jackson and I hope the city of Jackson loses every federal dollar.
Baby Chok had a press conference about this and said they never destroyed any ICE detainers.
Jackson is one of the safest 20 cities in Mississippi. There's a survey out and surveys cannot lie. There's a rule.
1:42. Thanks for info. I bet I'm not the only one here who never knew about the massive problem with polish people sneaking across the Atlantic.
Mayor Gum Flap has backed himself into a corner.
"Mayor Lumumba was asked repeatedly at his press conference whether the city receives detainers, with the police chief standing next to him. He could not or would not say the city does not receive detainers. We need clear answers to these questions, and apparently filing a complaint is the only way to get answers," he said.
ROFL
Jackson and Mississippi has an immigration problem?????
Did these yahoos at MJ look at our Census information????
" Your Honor, we are losing population and need immigrants desperately. Our young people are going to greener pastures and we aren't having much luck getting upwardly mobile folks of any kind to come here. Please don't take away our immigrants! "
Let's be honest here. The ONLY reason Jackson is a target is because of it's current racial demographics. This is political. It has zero to do with immigration OR reality.
What these idiots will end up doing , if they succeed, is picking up more Asians and Lebanese Druzes than Latinos and we'll see some fine restaurants close, fewer chickens plucked, weeds in yards and will wait longer to have repairs after a tornado or hurricane.
Do let's shoot ourselves in the foot AGAIN!
MJ and ICE are NOT targeting those cities that voted Republican or big time GOP donors businesses hiring illegals. Houston, can you hear me?
Dear illegal immigrant: Put a Trump sticker on your car. Fly the " Don't Tread on Me" flag in front of your house. ICE and MJ will leave you alone.
6:50,
In the Midwest it's a huge problem. Entire areas of Southside are no longer black in Chicago but polish and the public schools spend a lot of money on second language classes for them and also taking jobs. The former black neighborhoods are being squeezed out. It's 29% black now as a city.
@ 8:32
I have some news for you... Lebanese owned businesses are everywhere in Jackson and the delta... Paul Anthony meat market was Lebanese owned as is old capital inn many law firms as well... Lebanon is a Christian nation and not many people are currently fleeing that nation at the moment. Look at the facts. My family is Lebanese and I'm here to tell you that Jackson is full of well off Lebonesse families.
"I bet I'm not the only one here who never knew about the massive problem with polish people sneaking across the Atlantic. "
Of course - that's why they dominate the Olympics in swimming :-)
You didn't know about it because your in Mississippi... Chicago is the 2nd largest polish city in the world behind Warsaw the Capitol of Poland. Look it up.
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