Knoxville, Tenn. - On Feb. 10, 2020, Attorney General William Barr announced the filing of 3 lawsuits against California, New Jersey and Washington State, alleging that sanctuary city municipal jurisdiction policies interfere with lawful federal immigration and enforcement activities.
Sanctuary jurisdiction policies jeopardize public safety by preventing the federal government from locating, arresting, and prosecuting removable aliens inside the United States. While jurisdictions are not compelled by federal law to take part in federal immigration enforcement activities, they are not permitted to actively obstruct the enforcement of federal law. The consequences of cities establishing themselves as sanctuary cities impact more than just the communities of the sanctuary jurisdiction where heinous, violent crimes have been committed by those in this country illegally.
Past examples of federal prosecution of violent persons who were illegally present in the Eastern District of Tennessee include the cases of Martinez Rubi and Gama Bahena.
* Rubi has been removed from the United States a total of seven times and has twice been prosecuted for illegal reentry in this district. His criminal history includes six prior felony convictions, one of which was for aggravated assault when he threatened to kill a woman at knifepoint. His most recent illegal reentry conviction netted him a 78-month sentence in prison.
* Bahena has a criminal history that includes stabbing his wife in the stomach. He later committed another aggravated assault when he pointed a loaded gun at her and their daughter while threatening to kill them. That conduct was the basis for his federal conviction for possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien, which resulted in a 65-month sentence in federal prison.
“These two defendants highlight the need for the aggressive stance the Eastern District of Tennessee takes in the prosecution of violent persons who are in the United States illegally. By working closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we are able to identify and remove dangerous offenders from our communities," said United States Attorney J. Douglas Overbey.
Cases are investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (“ERO").
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
