Partners in Crime: Mayors of Sanctuary Cities, Human Traffickers and Other Criminals by Michael Cutler

Advocates for immigration anarchy known as “Sanctuary Cities” threaten national security and public safety in numerous ways. In point of fact, those municipalities should be referred to as “Magnet Cities” because they attract aliens who are criminals or terrorists or fugitives from justice in countries from around the world.

While it is obvious that Sanctuary Cities are extremely helpful to aliens who are illegally present in the United States, what may not be immediately obvious is that Sanctuary Cities support the smuggling activities of human traffickers who enable illegal aliens to enter the U.S. surreptitiously, thereby evading the vital inspections process conducted at America’s 325 ports of entry located along our nation’s northern and southern borders, at seaports and international airports.

Other smuggling activities also include criminals and criminal organizations that provide fraudulent documentation or opportunities for aliens to enter into conspiracies to defraud the visa process and enter through ports of entry.

The 9/11 Commission determined that such activities support terrorist entry into the U.S. In fact, on page 54 of the the 9/11 Commission Staff Report on Terrorist Travel, this excerpt under the heading, 3.2 Terrorist Travel Tactics by Plot, is found:

Thus, abuse of the immigration system and a lack of interior immigration enforcement were unwittingly working together to support terrorist activity. It would remain largely unknown, since no agency of the United States government analyzed terrorist travel patterns until after 9/11. This lack of attention meant that critical opportunities to disrupt terrorist travel and, therefore, deadly terrorist operations were missed. 

During my 30-year career with the former INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service), one of my most important tools was my ability to recruit illegal aliens to assist my investigations by providing me (and my colleagues) with actionable intelligence.

When appropriate, in arresting illegal aliens, we would offer them the opportunity to remain in the U.S. and be granted legal authorization to work, at least for a temporary period and possibly permanently, if they cooperated with investigations into criminal and/or terrorist organizations, including providing essential information about the smugglers who assisted them in entering the U.S. illegally or by procuring visas through fraud.

This enabled us to conduct successful investigations into such criminal organizations that ultimately resulted in the arrest of the criminals and the dismantling of criminal organizations and networks, among them those that engaged in human trafficking and narcotics smuggling. Many of our investigations could not have been conducted without the assistance of those aliens.

The bogus narrative of the mayors of Sanctuary Cities is that they are being “compassionate” by shielding illegal aliens from detection by ICE agents. This concerted effort to vilify federal agents is unprecedented and is limited only to immigration law enforcement personnel.

Meanwhile, what is rarely if ever reported in the media is the nexus between immigration law enforcement and efforts to combat international terrorism. For example, the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) operates under the aegis of the FBI and consists of law enforcement personnel from a broad array of law enforcement agencies on the local, city and state levels.

As might be expected, the FBI contributes the greatest number of personnel to this important organization. Not often recognized is that agents of ICE are the second largest contingent  assigned to the JTTF and HSI (Homeland Security Investigations).

However, this aggressive campaign of deception by the mayors of Sanctuary Cities and other advocates for immigration anarchy discourages immigrants and illegal aliens alike to cooperate with immigration law enforcement personnel, thereby obstructing essential investigations.

This issue was the focus in my recent article, “Opponents Of Border Security and Immigration Law Enforcement Aid Human Traffickers.” My follow-up article focused primarily on the latest and ever-expanding sanctuary policies promulgated by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.

Bottom line, to reiterate what was stated atop, mayors and other political officials who support harboring illegal aliens via Sanctuary Cities endanger national security and public safety.

Mike is a Senior Fellow with CAPS and retired INS Senior Special Agent. During his 30-year career with the INS he rotated through all of the squads within the Investigations Branch. He was assigned to the Unified Intelligence Division of the DEA and for 10 years was assigned, as an INS Senior Special Agent, to the Organized Crime, Drug Enforcement Task Force. He has testified at numerous hearings conducted by committees and subcommittees of the House and Senate and provided testimony to the 9/11 Commission.

He hosts “The Michael Cutler Hour” on USA Talk Radio Fridays at 7 p.m. (EST) and is frequently interviewed by broadcast media on various aspects of immigration issues, especially the nexus to national security.

The writer’s views are his own.