Attorney General Tim Griffin says the city of Fayetteville is violating a state law prohibiting sanctuary policies and is therefore ineligible to receive discretionary funding from the state. That comes from an opinion released yesterday from his office.
Rep. Kendon Underwood, a Republican from Cave Springs, requested the opinion. An incident occurred on June 17 when the Fayetteville Police Department received a request from Arkansas State Police related to a traffic stop near I-49 and Exit 64. A Fayetteville police sergeant responded and observed state police, as well as Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, but local police had no further involvement and left the scene.
In a statement he released yesterday, Rep. Underwood says he appreciates the work of the attorney general and it confirmed his belief that Fayetteville is a sanctuary city, violating state law by refusing to cooperate fully with federal and state law enforcement.
Mayor Molly Rawn provided a letter to members of City Council and the Fayetteville chief of police yesterday, clarifying statements she made on the day of the incident mentioned before. She writes in yesterday's letter that it is the policy of the city of Fayetteville to fully comply with all laws of the state of Arkansas, including the one regarding sanctuary policies. She says the city has never had a written policy that affirms, suggests or implies the existence of a sanctuary policy, and she wants to make it clear that her comments should not be interpreted as supporting or establishing a sanctuary policy, either now or at any point in the future.
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