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Our Opinion: Mental health care deservedly becoming bigger priority in NEPA

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After 27 years as pastor of St. Nicholas Church in Wilkes-Barre, Monsignor Joseph Rauscher will retire

<p>Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis pointed out last weekend in the Times Leader that sanctuary cities are a public safety issue.</p><p>She made an important point. This issue has become a flashpoint in the U.S. Senate race between Sen. Pat Toomey, who has led the fight to stop them, and Katie McGinty, who has defended them.</p><p>Salavantis was talking specifically about the recent controversy over Philadelphia&#8217;s new sanctuary city status, which is one of the most extreme in the country. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney instituted this sanctuary policy upon taking office in January; it bars nearly all cooperation between Philadelphia police and federal immigration officials, even when dealing with violent criminals and suspected terrorists.</p><p>In doing so, Mayor Kenney was attempting to make a purely political statement about immigration, at the cost of public safety. That is why the Obama administration earlier this month sent Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson to implore Mayor Kenney to drop his policy.</p><p>Salavantis correctly pointed out this is not only an issue for Philadelphia and southeastern Pennsylvania. She notes that it would benefit the entire state to track these criminals, at all levels of law enforcement, to protect communities beyond the Philadelphia city limits.</p><p>McGinty would be wise to heed the calls from local law enforcement officials such as Salavantis, who make public safety their top priority every day, instead of dismissing their concerns about sanctuary cities as &#8220;buzzwords&#8221; that are &#8220;divisive,&#8221; as she has in the past.</p><p><strong>Dave Baloga</strong></p><p>Lake Township</p><style>
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Letter to the Editor: Heed warning on sanctuary cities by District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis