The number of sanctuary cities across the United States is growing. There are now 340 jurisdictions that are obstructing immigration enforcement, according to a report released by the Center for Immigration Studies in October.

Another report prepared by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ice) showed that the each month sanctuary cities are releasing approximately 1,000 alien offenders that ice seeks to deport. Of those released, 62 percent “had significant prior criminal histories or other public safety concerns even before the arrest that led to a detainer.”

The murder of Kate Steinle by an illegal immigrant in San Francisco on July 1 brought sanctuary cities back onto the political scene. The man charged with her murder had been deported five times and had seven prior felony convictions. ice, which had asked to be notified of his release, was never informed.

Rep. Louis Gutierrez, during a congressional hearing, accused the Republicans of “exploiting” the death of Kate Steinle for political purposes. Republicans replied that her death was easily preventable. It boiled down to one thing: following the law.

Local sanctuary cities are failing to consistently enforce federal law. Some of the sheriffs of the sanctuary cities claim they should not receive the label since they participate in the administration’s new Priority Enforcement Program (pep). But the Center of Immigration Studies report explains:

pep explicitly allows jurisdictions to obstruct immigration enforcement by ignoring detainers or barring ice access to jails. Under pep, immigration officers also issue “requests for notification” asking local authorities to tell them when a criminal alien in their custody will be released so ice can attempt to take custody for deportation. Local agencies are free to ignore these notifications.

cnn political commentator Errol Louis says America’s immigration is all the worse because of “the fundamentally different and conflicting goals of federal and local agencies.”

When a nation’s own law enforcement agencies pick and choose which laws to enforce depending on which political party is in power, the nation is in a very dangerous situation.