MAYOR DELUCA VOWS TO PROTECT IMMIGRANTS DESPITE TRUMP ANTI-SANCTUARY ORDER

When the Township Committee approved a resolution last week vowing to protect immigrants from federal efforts to remove them, it made a point not to use the term sanctuary. 

Still, the legislation put the Township on record as vowing to oppose federal law enforcement action against immigrants, clearly stating no township employees would aid in such efforts. 

See the entire resolution HERE.

Mayor Vic Deluca on Wednesday reiterated that vow in a statement reacting to President Donald Trump's executive order on Wednesday to withhold funding from such sanctuary cities and seek to prosecute any undocumented immigrants residing in them.

Deluca issued this statement late yesterday:

Maplewood has been and will continue to be welcoming and open, embracing individuals of diverse racial, ethnic, religious and national backgrounds, and different ages and sexual orientation. We will not participate in dividing people based on citizenship or immigration status nor will we profile or register people because of where they are from or what they believe. Our police will fight crime and not enforce immigration laws. If President Trump threatens our responsibility to protect constitutional rights and liberties, we will join with other municipalities in pursuing legal remedies

We also reached out to the other TC members for their reaction. So far, India Larrier has responded with the following:

We believe we are on firm legal footing as regards to this issue 

and we stand by our values. Our resolution does not label 

Maplewood a "sanctuary city", but rather states our foundational 

beliefs regarding our responsibility towards all of our
residents while acknowledging that our law enforcement will 

work within established parameters as set forth by the 

Attorney General. Our values will not change in the face 

of threats.