Month: February 2022

Kansas attorney general files bill banning sanctuary cities, issuance of IDs

by Tim Carpenter, Kansas Reflector

Topeka — Attorney General Derek Schmidt introduced legislation in the Kansas House to create a state law blocking local municipal governments from adopting rules against cooperation with federal law enforcement investigating illegal immigrants.

Schmidt’s legislative push followed action in early February by the Unified Government of Kansas City-Wyandotte County to authorize issuance of photograph identification cards to undocumented people to improve access to public services. The Safe and Welcoming City Act was structured so the ID information wouldn’t be shared with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The attorney general, who is a Republican candidate for governor, said the House bill would prevent cities, counties and other taxing subdivisions from giving rise to formation of a “sanctuary” jurisdiction.

“Citizens throughout our state deserve to know that wherever they may travel in Kansas, law enforcement officials are cooperating with federal and state agencies to fairly enforce applicable law and are not obliged to turn a blind eye to some unlawful conduct merely because of local politics,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt said a statewide response was necessary due to failure by the administration of President Joe Biden to “secure our nation’s southwest border.”

“This is an important law-and-order issue throughout our state, not merely a matter for local preference,” the attorney general said.

Under House Bill 2717, local units of government couldn’t adopt an “ordinance, resolution, rule or policy” that would interfere with law enforcement cooperation in immigration enforcement actions. In Wyandotte County, law enforcement officials said they hadn’t joined ICE agents on immigration raids for years.

The measure endorsed by Schmidt also would forbid municipal governments from issuing ID cards to people not lawfully residing in the United States that were designed to satisfy identification requirements set in state law. Any cards of this type would have to bear the words “Not valid for state ID.” Violation of the proposed statute would be considered ID fraud under state criminal law.

Kansas Reflector stories, www.kansasreflector.com, may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
See more at https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-attorney-general-files-bill-banning-sanctuary-cities-issuance-of-ids/.

Light snow in today’s forecast

Snow totals are expected to be a dusting of up to 1 inch in Wyandotte County on Thursday. (National Weather Service graphic)
Below freezing temperatures and wind chills in the single digits are in the forecast Thursday and Friday morning. (National Weather Service graphic)

A light snow was falling Thursday morning in Wyandotte County.

Residents can expect a dusting of up to 1 inch of snow, the National Weather Service said. Light snow built into the area from the south, arriving between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. south of I-70, and 9 a.m. to noon north of I-70.

A light snow was falling Thursday morning in Wyandotte County.

Light snow will exit the area west to east, according to the weather service, ending between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. Thursday.

Cold temperatures will remain until Saturday. Today’s high will be near 22 with tonight’s low around 9. Saturday’s high will be near 44. On Sunday, the high will be near 57.

Today, there is a 50 percent chance of snow, mainly before 5 p.m., the weather service said. The high will be near 22 with a north wind around 8 mph.

Tonight, there is a chance of flurries before 9 p.m., according to the weather service. Skies will gradually clear, with a low of 9. Wind chill values will be between minus 2 and 3. A northwest wind will be 8 to 10 mph, gusting as high as 20 mph.

Friday, it will be sunny, with a high near 30, and wind chill values between minus 1 and 9, the weather service said. A north northwest wind will be 3 to 8 mph.

Friday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 17, and a calm wind, according to the weather service.

Saturday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 44, the weather service said. A calm wind will become southwest 5 to 7 mph in the morning.

Saturday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 25, according to the weather service.

Sunday, it will be sunny, with a high near 57, the weather service said.

Sunday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 31, according to the weather service.

Monday, it will be sunny, with a high near 61, the weather service said.

Monday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 33, according to the weather service.

Tuesday, there is a chance of sprinkles, with a high near 61, the weather service said.

Tuesday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 35, according to the weather service.

Wednesday, it will be sunny, with a high near 66, the weather service said.