The San Antonio Police Officers Association tonight called on City Manager Sheryl Sculley to place police Chief Bill McManus on administrative leave after the Texas Attorney General sued the City, claiming McManus violated the state anti-sanctuary law in his handling of the arrest if a dozen illegal immigrants who were being smuggled last December, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
1200 WOAI was first to break the news today of the lawsuit, and the allegations that McManus declined to turn the 12 illegal immigrants over to federal immigration authorities, instead bringing in an immigrant rights group which released them.
SB 4 requires that all local and state officials cooperate fully with federal immigration officials when requested.
The SAPOA says in light of the lawsuit, McManus should immediately be placed on leave, and an interim police chief be appointed. The union also calls on City Council to investigate whether McManus lied to Council about his activities that day.
McManus has said he believed that the illegal immigrants were victims and he made the decision to handle the case as a state human smuggling offense. He said as a local official, he has no authority to arrest a person for illegally entering the country, which is a federal offense.
McManus has received support today from City officials and from Councilman Roberto Trevino, and has received support for others in the past. The union says this support makes them complicit in the alleged illegal activity by McManus.