By Amy Batista, Special Writer
Residents and council members discussed the borough still being labeled as a sanctuary city during the last council meeting.
Sanctuary city is a term that is applied by some to cities in the United States or Canada that have policies designed to not persecute undocumented immigrants. These practices can be by law (de jure) or they can be by habit (de facto).
Mayor Larry Quattrone said that Hightstown has never been a sanctuary city.
“We, our police department, go by attorney general guidelines 100 percent,” Mayor Quattrone said. “If you have an infraction in town, the police have a right to check your immigration status and turn you over to the appropriate authorities. That’s the way we do it. That’s the way we always have.”
Mayor Quattrone said a TV celebrity tagged Hightstown with the name and it kind of stuck.
“I don’t know the proper avenue to remove that,” he said, adding that as long as he is mayor the borough will not be a sanctuary city.
Resident and Republican candidate for Borough Council Lynne Woods said a previous resolution that was passed hasn’t stopped Hightstown from appearing on four out of five websites that list sanctuary cities. She noted websites such as those created by Ohio Jobs and Justice PAC.
Ms. Woods proposed passing a resolution she created to have Hightstown removed from sanctuary city lists.
“Once you pass this resolution, which I think is fair and doesn’t offend anybody at all, then we could get off these lists and once and for all be away from this title of sanctuary city,” she said.
Councilman Seth Kurs said that even if the council passed the resolution and sent it to every website that has Hightstown listed as a sanctuary city there is no guarantee the lists would be modified.
“We have no control over those lists nor does anybody else other than the person that maintains that website,” he said.
Ms. Woods provided a copy of the resolution she drafted to Borough Clerk Debra Sopronyi and the council members.
“What I did was I took a little bit from the original resolution but changed some things that could be construed to be misleading,” she said.
The borough originally passed resolution 2005-66 titled, “Regarding Actions Within Hightstown Borough by the United States Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” in March 2005.
According to the newly proposed resolution, the borough is comprised of immigrants from throughout the world who contribute to Hightstown’s social vigor, cultural richness, and economic growth.
“The Borough of Hightstown has been a town that traditionally respects the rights of and provides equal services to all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, and national origin,” Ms. Woods said. “The Borough of Hightstown is listed erroneously as a sanctuary city on numerous internet sanctuary city lists, suggesting that Hightstown supports the practice of illegal immigration.”
The proposed resolution continues, “Therefore be it resolved, that the mayor and council of the Borough of Hightstown and the Hightstown Police Department recognize its support and cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency and its polices. Be it further resolved, that the mayor and council of the Borough of Hightstown strongly encourage the President of the United States and the U.S. Congress to continue to pass rational and just immigration laws that will provide undocumented immigrants with the opportunity to legalize their status based on the sponsorship of their family members and employers.”
“I hope that you can discuss this,” Ms. Woods said of her proposed resolution. “To me this puts this issue to rest once and for all. We should be backing the laws of homeland security. I think it would be a good idea to pass a new resolution.”
Resident Scott Caster thanked Ms. Woods for proposing the resolution.
“It’s a takeoff on something that was spoken of a couple of meetings ago and Councilman Kurs did respond to it,” he said.
Mr. Caster said he appreciates the “ongoingness of the discussion.”
“And that you guys are still considering it,” Mr. Caster said. “I hope it and that you recognize the fairness of the way that she presented it. I think it hits the nail on the head.”
He said called sanctuary city two dirty words.
“I think this town has been gracious of the new immigrants that have come into town and we don’t need the tag on us anymore,” he said, adding that the tag is detrimental.
He said he didn’t think too many people would object to the resolution the way it was proposed and written for council.
“I hope you are serious about considering this,” he said.
Council President Denise “Denny” Hansen said she is not a proponent of bringing the sanctuary city issue to a head.
“It gets negative press for the borough,” she said. “I’m comfortable with the way we are policing the town.”
She said there is a lot of energy going into trying and making Hightstown better and look better.
“That issue doesn’t feel good at all because it’s not understood,” she said.
