It comes as no surprise that attitudes over making Pennsylvania a sanctuary state are different among Republicans and Democrats in the state Legislature.

This isn’t a decision to be made emotionally or for political reasons. Instead, in our view, state lawmakers need to step back and use logic. We know, common sense and logic are sometimes in short supply in Harrisburg, but lawmakers on both sides of the aisle would do well to draw on their short supply of both when it comes to the tricky topic of immigration.

They don’t even have to look far to see just how far-reaching this debate is. New York is a perfect case study.

Many New York Democrats were more than happy to be a sanctuary state when there were tougher limits on immigration under former President Donald Trump. But when President Joe Biden opened the borders and governors in border states started sending immigrants to New York the politics came back to bite New York.

New York has committed a billion dollars to help New York City deal with the influx of migrants while rural counties, fearing the economic strain and acknowledging the lack of social service funding and providers, have enacted emergency orders trying to keep Gov. Kathy Hochul from sending migrants to rural counties. In nearby Jamestown, which has seen a growing number of Colombian migrants in recent months, groups who have been working to welcome migrants find themselves looking for resources to help because precious little money has come to the smaller city from the state government even as millions have flowed to New York City.

We would ask state Democrats where the money comes from if Pennsylvania is declared a sanctuary state. Because making such declarations mean buses carrying migrants are likely headed our way. Are the state’s major cities ready for an influx? Does the state have the additional funding necessary for housing and services? Are rural areas equipped in case the influx of migrants is so great that smaller counties are called upon to provide a home to migrants?

If the answers to those questions are no, then the state shouldn’t approve sanctuary state status.