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Ulster sheriffs say resolution won't change their immigration procedures

Jan 06, 2017 12:04 am
William J. Kemble reports in The Daily Freeman that Ulster County Sheriff Office Paul VanBlarcum says he will not change anything about the way his officers do their job if Kingston declares itself a sanctuary city. The proposed resolution says, “enforcement of federal immigration laws is the prerogative of federal enforcement agencies,” rather than local police. “We never start by asking those questions (about immigration status). ... If we’re handling a call, they (deputies) might ask you for some kind of identification; then there’s very few people, even people who are here illegally, that don’t have some type of documentation,” VanBlarcum said. Kingston Police Chief Egidio Tinti agreed. “This resolution would not change how we do our business,” Tinti told Kingston lawmakers last month. VanBlarcum said officers asked for immigration papers about 20 times in the past year. Albany already is a sanctuary city. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.