We live in a constitutional Republic, a nation of laws, not a nation “ruled” by men and women.

The process by which those laws are created comes from the elected representatives of the people hammering them out in our legislative process, with the approval of the chief executive, the president or the governor.

It is an imperfect system to be sure, but no one has come close to creating a system that is as good or better than ours.

As such, it is absolutely vital that our laws be followed and enforced in an unbiased, fair manner. Elected and appointed government officials can’t arbitrarily decide which laws to obey and enforce and expect our constitutional Republic to survive.

And that is exactly what is creeping forward with sanctuary cities: lawlessness. Lawlessness at the hands of those who took an oath to uphold and defend the constitution is in fact a form of tyranny.

And that tyranny is being waged in hundreds of cities across America in the form of so-called “sanctuary cities” in which corrupt politicians aid and abet criminal illegal aliens by instituting—as a matter of policy—non-cooperation with federal authorities and non-enforcement of federal law.

In sanctuary cities, illegal aliens who are arrested are routinely released by local authorities (on the orders of the politicians) even when federal law enforcement request that they hold them.

As unbelievable as this may seem, it is unfortunately quite commonplace across America.

Including New Orleans, a city with a serious crime problem to say the least.

Not only do these policies put local citizens and tourists at risk of violent crime, as has been shown in all too many tragic incidents across the country, but sanctuary city policies also pose a far different kind of security risk in the age of Jihadist terrorism inside America.

Sanctuary policies provide an environment helpful to terrorist cells because their activities are less likely to be detected and reported by law enforcement.

Under sanctuary city policies, a suspected illegal alien terrorist who has not already been convicted of a violent felony previously could very well be set free by local police who don’t know that the illegal alien may be a suspected terrorist.

Imagine that New Orleans police have arrested someone for a minor crime and that person is about to be released. It turns out that the individual is an illegal alien whom the FBI suspects of being involved in terrorist activity of some sort. Federal immigration officials want to apprehend the suspected terrorist, so they can question him and possibly deport him. New Orleans’ response under the sanctuary city system? Federal agents will have to come back after this individual has committed and been convicted of an act of terrorism or some other violent felony. Until then, New Orleans will not help them.

New Orleans’ sanctuary-city policy sends a clear message to those in our country illegally: if you come to New Orleans and commit your crimes, our police will not be allowed to turn you over for deportation.

Sanctuary policies significantly worsens threats posed to national security and public safety- turning those cities into magnets that attract fugitives, and possibly terrorists, who seek to “fly under the radar.”

The safety of the people of Louisiana is too important. It is time for our leaders to put the safety of the American people first. It is time to end dangerous sanctuary city policies.

Fortunately, Rep. Valarie Hodges has introduced a bill designed to compel New Orleans to reform its sanctuary city policy. HB1148 would prohibit sanctuary policies in Louisiana. The bill passed the House of Representatives by a decisive margin and has been referred to the Senate Judiciary “A” Committee. Hopefully the members of that committee will recognize their duty and pass this needed measure.