Iowa City seeks more information on sanctuary cities

The City Council will seek more input on whether to implement a sanctuary city policy, but council members have their doubts.

The council talked about the issue at a work session Monday night. Sanctuary city policies often include city employees not asking about immigration status or enforcing federal immigration laws.

But City Attorney Eleanor Dilkes cautioned that the city, particularly the Police Department, would be seriously limited in carrying out such a policy because of federal laws and programs. In light of that, council members questioned how effective a policy would be.

“I fear we would come up with a watered-down policy that would be filled with caveats,” Mayor Matt Hayek said.

The council will seek more information from the city's Human Rights Commission, which has recommended adoption of an ordinance that would prevent city employees from requesting information on or investigating the immigration status of people unless required to under state or federal laws or court decisions.

The council also wants the committee of community members that raised the issue to give more specifics on what sort of policy they want. The early reaction to the council's discussion was not positive, however.

Sanctuary city committee members said while they welcomed more dialogue, they questioned why dozens of other communities nationwide have been able to enact policies but Iowa City appeared to be balking at a comprehensive approach.

“In some ways, it's no guts, no glory,” said the Rev. Rudolph Juarez of St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Iowa City.

Dilkes said the matter is complicated by Secure Communities, a federal program coming soon to Johnson County in which the fingerprints of someone booked into jail are checked against federal immigration records. That means no matter if a sanctuary city policy is in place, Iowa City will participate in immigration investigations.

Most cities with sanctuary city policies enacted them before Secure Communities began, Dilkes said.

Council members said they want to hear from people who work with illegal immigrants if there are any ways, in light of the legal restrictions, that something could be done.

“People should be treated at least with human dignity,” council member Terry Dickens said.

Members of the sanctuary city committee said they want undocumented people to feel comfortable in situations like coming forward with information for the police or in responding to requests from the school district.

Police Chief Sam Hargadine said his officers do not ask witnesses their immigration status, but they do ask their place of residence so officers can contact them later if needed.