Following Republican gubernatorial nominee Ed Gillespie’s latest TV ad highlighting his commitment to building a safer, stronger Virginia and Democratic nominee Ralph Northam’s vote against banning the establishment of sanctuary cities in Virginia, the Northam campaign this morning responded in a TV ad of its own, but left the important questions unanswered, including:
- If Lt. Governor Northam is opposed to sanctuary cities, why did he cast the tie-breaking vote against banning the establishment of sanctuary cities in Virginia? (You can watch him bragging about that vote HERE.)
- Does Lt. Governor Northam believe illegal immigrants who commit crimes in Virginia should be deported?
In what Politico noted was an “open race to the left,” during the Democratic gubernatorial primary Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam voted against House Bill 2000, which would prohibit localities from adopting ordinances or policies refusing to enforce federal immigration laws. Northam stands by his policy of not banning them today. Gillespie would support and sign this legislation, as it is an important measure to keep Virginians safe and enforce the law.
The Washington Post recently noted, “MS-13 has been going through a resurgence in the D.C. area in recent months. It has been tied to killings in Montgomery, Fairfax and Prince William counties and a surge in other crimes” (The Washington Post, 8/14/17). The Virginian Pilot Editorial Board wrote, “For everything Norfolk can celebrate today — all of the progress and the revitalization, the new destinations for tourists and the new business ventures — the violence in recent months threatens it all, and the city must make addressing it priority one” (The Virginian Pilot, 8/18/17).
Last month, Gillespie released Job One: Keeping Virginia Safe. A key focus of Gillespie’s plan is gang prevention and eradication, but it is impossible to do so without discussing MS-13 and it’s impact in Virginia. A gang like MS-13 preys mostly on our illegal, legal and first-generation immigrant community. While gang-related violence continues to impact the Commonwealth, some localities seek to establish sanctuary cities, creating potential safe harbors for these gangs by limiting the amount of information local governments can provide to federal immigration law enforcement officials. As governor, Ed will sign legislation to make sure every city, county and town follows the law so there are no sanctuary cities in Virginia.
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