NEWARK, N.J. (AP) ” Lesser-known presidential candidate Tom Tancredo is urging the families of three young murder victims to consider suing Newark for negligence, saying the city’s lax immigration policy is at least partially to blame for the execution-style slayings.

Conservative Republican Rep. Tancredo of Colorado brought his immigration-themed presidential campaign to the steps of City Hall on Monday, where he denounced the city’s policy of not involving itself in immigration matters.

“I am encouraging the families of the victims to pursue the option of a lawsuit in light of this culpability,” Tancredo said, criticizing Newark’s status as a so-called “sanctuary city” for immigrants.

Newark, like many other cities including Los Angeles and Chicago, does not require police officers to check the immigration status of the people they arrest or to report illegals to federal authorities. Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow said Monday that immigration officials are typically notified when an illegal immigrant is convicted.

In the case of Jose Carranza, one of six suspects in the Newark killings, federal authorities were never told about the illegal Peruvian immigrant despite two prior brushes with the law. He was indicted twice this year on charges of child rape and aggravated assault but was released on bail both times despite being in the country illegally.

Mayor Cory Booker, who has said involving city police in immigration matters would hurt relationships between police and the immigrant community, repeated that contention Monday, citing the conclusions of a Clinton administration study on the issue.

“Local law enforcement officials should not be going out asking, inquiring and investigating whether people are documented or undocumented,” Booker said. He said such behavior “creates a chill in which often the most marginalized and vulnerable citizens in my city do not feel comfortable engaging with the police. It’s an environment I will never tolerate as mayor.”

Booker then criticized Tancredo’s efforts to inflame the community.

“We do not want people coming into our community and exploiting our pain for political advantage,” Booker said at a news conference Monday.