Phoenix police union says sanctuary policy makes city's streets more dangerous

In Phoenix, Arizona, the police union wants to get rid part of the city’s sanctuary policy. Union officials say the sanctuary policy makes the city’s streets more dangerous. "If we allow a little bit of lawlessness, what prevents more lawlessness from occurring?" asked Mark Spencer, president of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, which represents more than 2,200 officers and detectives.

The union says its request was based on frustrations officers feel in seeing crimes tied to illegal immigration, but also, a police officer was killed in September at the hands of an illegal alien who had previously been deported from the U.S.

Under the existing sanctuary policy, the Phoenix Police Department can call federal immigration authorities in cases where immigrant smuggling vehicles are pulled over or scores of illegal immigrants are found hidden in houses run by smugglers. The union is hoping to eliminate the prohibition on calling federal immigration authorities for during stops for civil traffic violations.