Sheriff Jones joins Trump for defunding immigrant ‘sanctuary cities’

A second executive action aimed to tighten internal enforcement of U.S. immigration law, including the defunding of so-called “sanctuary cities,” that harbor illegal immigrants as well as increase internal enforcement of existing immigration law.

But the definition of such cities remains murky: While cities such as Cincinnati and Dayton have had campaigns aimed at welcoming immigrants, the federal funding source for such cities remains unclear, and the order says funding cannot be withheld in violation of the law or when federal dollars are needed for law enforcement.

“Beginning today, the United States of America gets back control of its borders,” Trump told employees of the Department of Homeland Security at the department’s headquarters in Washington.

Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones supports that order, sending a letter to Trump, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Ohio Gov. John Kasich asking for their support to discontinue any funding in any Ohio city claiming to be a sanctuary city for illegal immigrants.

Jones said he considers the past actions of Cincinnati and Dayton as becoming sanctuary cities, and said Trump’s order “is already working.”

“Some places, they’re already defending themselves. If they were so brave and tough, they’d all say they were sanctuary cities,” he said.

Butler County Democratic Party Executive Chairwoman Jocelyn Bucaro said this executive order is irrelevant in Butler County as there are no sanctuary cities, and likely won’t be, especially after the order.

However, she said she and her party “are more troubled by Trump’s 20 percent tax on Americans to pay for the wall that he promised Mexico would pay for and he’s jeopardizing our relationship with Mexico” in negotiation like NAFTA.

“Working families in Butler County and farmers are losing,” she said.

Butler County GOP Executive Chairman Todd Hall stands alongside with the Republican sheriff.

“I join Sheriff Jones and millions of Americans who want to see our immigration laws enforced equally throughout our nation,” he said. “So-called sanctuary cities cannot make themselves immune from federal law.”