Pete Buttigieg, a US Democratic presidential candidate and the current mayor of South Bend, Indiana, reportedly assisted in the creation of a “phone tree” network to alert illegal immigrants of incoming Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in their vicinity, The Daily Beast reported Wednesday. A phone tree is an automatic alert system providing an efficient way of spreading important messages quickly.
This is just one of the numerous initiatives Buttigieg has led in cooperation with pro-immigrant groups, such as La Casa. He also established “Community Resident Card” program that allowed illegal immigrants to open bank accounts, fill prescriptions and use public services, while avoiding notifying federal authorities about their immigration status.
The mayor reportedly partnered with local business and directed utilities and services to accept the cards as a valid form of identification.
His approach came under legal scrutiny when the Judicial Watch organization filed a lawsuit against the candidate over a “Community Resident Card” program, Fox News report says.
Buttigieg’s opposition to federal immigration policies comes in defiance of an Indiana ban on sanctuary cities - urban areas that refuse to cooperate with federal law enforcement requests to detain illegal immigrants.
As a presidential candidate, Buttigieg has proposed that many of the policies he implemented in South Bend become national, The Daily Beast report said.
US President Donald Trump, who seeks to end the influx of illegal immigrants onto US soil, has been met with staunch opposition from Democrats who promote pro-immigration policies and seek to derail Trump’s attempts to tighten border security.