Newark strengthens sanctuary city status

NEWARK, NJ (CHASING NEWS) -- Mayor Ras Baraka signed an executive order on Monday to strengthen the city's status as a sanctuary status.

Under the 10-page directive, Newark cops are not obligated to cooperate with U.S. immigration and customs enforcement officials.  A commission will be established to provide translation services and legal representation to Newark residents who are in the country illegally.

"The city of Newark will not expend official time, funds or resources to facilitate the civil enforcement of federal immigration law and/or participate in the civil immigration  enforcement operations except when legally required to do so by federal law," Baraka said. 

Baraka has compared the rounding up of illegal immigrants to the rounding up of escaped slaves.

The fugitive slave was called the "bloodhound law,' Baraka explained. It "empowered residents of states when slaves escaped, to actually grab these folks and return them." 

The Chasing News staff noted that the illegal immigrants came to the United States on their own while slaves were forced to come here in shackles.