(Las Vegas, NV) – The ACLU of Nevada sent a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, welcoming him to the Silver State and ensuring him that our communities will not accept dangerous policies that compel local law enforcement agencies to enforce federal immigration laws. 

According to reports, AG Sessions plans to discuss so-called “sanctuary city” policies during a scheduled visit with Nevada’s top law enforcement officials today. The Trump administration has threatened to withhold needed federal funds from local law enforcement agencies who don’t spend their own resources helping enforce federal immigration laws. Despite the undefined, inaccurate use of the term “sanctuary,” the ACLU of Nevada defends the rights of immigrants under the Constitution and supports local efforts to police communities with policies that honor the Constitutional rights of all people.

The letter states that policies forcing local law enforcement to aid in immigration enforcement “perpetuate the myth that there are zones free from immigration enforcement, waste valuable law enforcement resources, and violate the Fourth Amendment prohibition against unlawful detentions.” It also asserts that forcing localities to enforce immigration laws damages community relations by deterring victims of crime from reporting criminal acts for fear of deportation.

The letter is available here.

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