Ohio Democrats Push Back Against Sanctuary City Ban

Democratic Rep. Dan Ramos of Lorain, Ohio

Two Ohio Democrats are criticizing Ohio State Treasurer Josh Mandel and Rep. Candice Keller (R) for using dangerous language and for listening to President Trump’s “dog whistle.”

Mandel and Keller proposed a statewide ban that would prohibit sanctuary cities and would hold city officials criminally responsible for crimes committed by undocumented immigrants.

Democratic Reps. Dan Ramos, of Lorain, and Stephanie Howse, of Cleveland, are now working on legislation that would prohibit the state from punishing cities and local officials for adopting or crafting immigrant-friendly policies, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

“Fighting elected officials for crimes committed in their communities is beyond ridiculous,” Ramos said to the Dispatch. “It’s clearly unenforceable and likely unconstitutional. We in the United States of America don’t arrest and lock people up for crimes they didn’t commit.”

Ramos also addressed Keller’s racist remarks when she blamed immigrants and their “culture” for committing crimes, including assaults and rape, and bringing in “sexually transmitted diseases.”

A Columbus immigration lawyer, Julie Nemecek, told the Dispatch that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than native-born Americans.

Photo via OhioHouse.gov.

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