WASHINGTON, DC – Republican Senators Ted Budd and John Cornyn are bringing forth new legislation aimed at upending sanctuary jurisdictions nationally, aptly dubbing the legislative effort the “Sanctuary City Elimination Act,” according to a press release from Sen. Budd from earlier in April.
As previously reported in Law Enforcement Today, the Trump administration has been working to dismantle purported sanctuary cities and jurisdictions by way of the courts, with efforts thus far not having fared well in the administration’s favor.
This past March, a federal judge out of Colorado granted a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the Justice Department which took aim at the state’s codified sanctuary laws as well as Denver’s own adopted policies limiting meaningful collaboration with federal immigration authorities.
With the federal courts not having served as a meaningful way to address the national topic of sanctuary jurisdictions, Sen. Budd and Sen. Cornyn are taking the matter to the halls of Congress with the Sanctuary City Elimination Act in a bid to legislatively supersede sanctuary practices sporadically adopted throughout the country.
One of the sanctuary mechanisms being addressed in the proposed legislation is the common practice of states and localities prohibiting local law enforcement from engaging in consensual collaboration with federal immigration authorities under the threat of civil or criminal liability.
“The bill would ensure that state, local, and federal law enforcement officers can coordinate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers without fear of reprisal and would prohibit sanctuary jurisdictions from accessing certain federal grants or other federal funding,” the press release regarding the legislative effort reads in part.
A second facet proposed in the legislation is establishing a pathway for victims of illegal immigrants who were released from custody in sanctuary jurisdictions to seek damages from the offending state/locality that facilitated said aliens’ release.
“Additionally, this legislation would create a right of action for victims of criminal illegal aliens who are released from sanctuary jurisdictions and reoffend in other states so that those affected can seek justice in court,” the press release reads.
In a statement corresponding with the press release, Sen, Budd emphasized how the existence of sanctuary cities and states “has led to the murder of innocent Americans and welcomed terrorist activity into our communities,” adding that such sanctuary jurisdictions “cannot keep ignoring public safety without facing repercussions.”
Sen. Cornyn also issued a statement in tandem with the press release, saying, “sanctuary cities across the nation have sidestepped federal immigration law and created safe havens for dangerous illegal aliens, putting the safety and security of Americans at risk and undermining the rule of law.”
As previously reported in Law Enforcement Today, the Trump administration has been working to dismantle purported sanctuary cities and jurisdictions by way of the courts, with efforts thus far not having fared well in the administration’s favor.
This past March, a federal judge out of Colorado granted a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the Justice Department which took aim at the state’s codified sanctuary laws as well as Denver’s own adopted policies limiting meaningful collaboration with federal immigration authorities.
With the federal courts not having served as a meaningful way to address the national topic of sanctuary jurisdictions, Sen. Budd and Sen. Cornyn are taking the matter to the halls of Congress with the Sanctuary City Elimination Act in a bid to legislatively supersede sanctuary practices sporadically adopted throughout the country.
One of the sanctuary mechanisms being addressed in the proposed legislation is the common practice of states and localities prohibiting local law enforcement from engaging in consensual collaboration with federal immigration authorities under the threat of civil or criminal liability.
“The bill would ensure that state, local, and federal law enforcement officers can coordinate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers without fear of reprisal and would prohibit sanctuary jurisdictions from accessing certain federal grants or other federal funding,” the press release regarding the legislative effort reads in part.
A second facet proposed in the legislation is establishing a pathway for victims of illegal immigrants who were released from custody in sanctuary jurisdictions to seek damages from the offending state/locality that facilitated said aliens’ release.
“Additionally, this legislation would create a right of action for victims of criminal illegal aliens who are released from sanctuary jurisdictions and reoffend in other states so that those affected can seek justice in court,” the press release reads.
In a statement corresponding with the press release, Sen, Budd emphasized how the existence of sanctuary cities and states “has led to the murder of innocent Americans and welcomed terrorist activity into our communities,” adding that such sanctuary jurisdictions “cannot keep ignoring public safety without facing repercussions.”
Sen. Cornyn also issued a statement in tandem with the press release, saying, “sanctuary cities across the nation have sidestepped federal immigration law and created safe havens for dangerous illegal aliens, putting the safety and security of Americans at risk and undermining the rule of law.”
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