St. Pete Is A ‘Sanctuary,’ Mayor Kriseman Declares

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — As some communities in Florida work to distance themselves from sanctuary claims, St. Petersburg’s mayor is embracing the prospect with open arms. Mayor Rick Kriseman posted a missive on his blog Friday declaring St. Pete “a sanctuary from harmful federal immigration laws.”

In the post titled, “Shelter in the Sunshine City,” Kriseman touted St. Petersburg’s history of embracing progressive and diverse ideas and communities.

“In St. Pete, we don’t just tolerate diversity – we celebrate it,” Kriseman wrote. “This month, our African-American history museum’s flag flies high above our City Hall. In June, we will again host one of the largest pride parades in the nation, as well as our first-ever Iftar dinner in celebration of our Muslim community.”

See also: Sanctuary County Status Ill-Advised, Hillsborough Commissioner Says

Kriseman also called out President Donald Trump and his administration’s immigration policies for creating fear in the community. “Residents from all backgrounds have implored me to deem St. Petersburg a ‘Sanctuary City,’” he wrote.

While Kriseman acknowledged Pinellas County is responsible for notifying the federal government “about individuals who are here illegally,” he said the city won’t necessarily cooperate. “We will not expend resources to help enforce such laws, nor will our police officers stop, question or arrest an individual solely on the basis that they may have unlawfully entered the United States,” he wrote.

Whether Kriseman’s stance could put the city in jeopardy of losing federal funding remains unclear. Last month, Trump signed an executive order to withhold federal funds from local governments that offer sanctuary to illegal immigrants.

If federal dollars are cut from St. Petersburg, Kriseman vowed to fight.

“Should our solidarity with ‘Sanctuary Cities’ put in peril the millions of dollars we receive each year from the federal government or via pass-through grants, we will then challenge that decision in court,” he wrote. “Win or lose, we will have upheld our values.”

Kriseman’s blog post came one day after Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Stacy White sent a memo to his fellow board members on the subject. Hillsborough County's diversity advisory board voted earlier this week to recommend taking steps to name the jurisdiction a sanctuary county.

White said he is adamantly opposed to supporting any action that would make Hillsborough County “anything less than a county that respects and follows the rule of law.” Immigration policy and enforcement, he said, falls within the scope of the federal government. “I have no desire to see Hillsborough County defy or obstruct the enforcement of federal immigration laws.”

Sanctuary cities and counties are called that because they offer sanctuary to illegal immigrants, refusing to turn them over to federal officials for deportation. Most sanctuary cities and counties have also passed laws preventing employees from even turning over information to immigration officials.

See also: Sanctuary County Claim ‘Absurd,’ Pasco Sheriff Says

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gaultieri made his position on sanctuary status known back in 2015 when the Washington-based Center for Immigration Studies released a report that called out Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties for being sanctuaries for illegal immigrants.

Gualtieri fired back on Facebook, writing:

“Many of you have heard that Pinellas County is a Sanctuary County—this is totally false. Border control and immigration enforcement is solely the federal government’s responsibility; sheriffs and local police have no authority to enforce federal immigration law. However, PCSO fully cooperates with ICE and Pinellas County is NOT a Sanctuary County.”

Gualtieri went on to explain that Pinellas participates in ICE’s Secure Communities program and honors all “court orders and lawful ICE requests to hold criminal illegal aliens in our jail.”

Pasco County’s Sheriff Chris Nocco also took issue with the claim.

“The Pasco Sheriff’s Office has proven we will enforce the laws of the land and will uphold the Constitution, it is a solemn obligation that we take seriously,” Nocco wrote in a letter posted publicly in 2015 and reposted to Facebook after Trump signed the executive order in January. “It is the indecisiveness and unwillingness of the federal government to make clear decisions on illegal immigration that does not allow a consistent national approach. A true ‘Sanctuary City’ can be seen in San Francisco, and the actions by their Sheriff, which allowed a killer to be on the street.”

Following Trump’s January order, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez issued a memo ordering county jails to comply with the new White House policy. That memo was designed to help ensure Miami-Dade didn’t jeopardize its federal funding.

Kriseman recently filed for re-election to the post he's held for three years. The city's primary and general election dates are Aug. 29 and Nov. 7, 2017.

To read Kriseman’s full statement, visit his blog online.

Photo via the city of St. Petersburg Facebook page