Washington – Representative Jack Bergman (MI-1) today voted in favor of legislation that strengthens public safety by combating sanctuary city policies that prevent criminals from being deported and also enhancing penalties for deported felons who return to the United States.
“Our federal immigration laws are designed to keep criminals and wrong-doers from carrying out acts of violence in our communities,” Bergman said, “but for those laws to work, they have to be enforced. Unfortunately, local governments across the United States have endangered the safety and well-being of their citizens by adopting policies that thwart federal law enforcement and protect criminals—criminals like the one responsible for the death of 32-year-old Kate Steinle in San Francisco and the one responsible for the death of 21-year-old Sarah Root in Omaha. Ultimately, this legislation is about public safety. It’s about closing gaps that have allowed the unthinkable to happen, and I’m proud to support it.”
The “No Sanctuary for Criminals” Act (H.R. 3003) takes aim at sanctuary city policies that undermine federal law enforcement officers and shield unlawful and criminal immigrants from deportation. Specifically, it withholds certain federal grants from jurisdictions that violate federal law by prohibiting their officers from communicating with ICE, establishes statutory probable cause standards for issuance of first-time detainers, and most importantly, allowing victims of crimes to sue in jurisdictions that have facilitated the release of criminal aliens by refusing to comply with federal law. H.R. 3003 also includes “Sarah and Grant’s Law,” which aims to keep unlawful immigrants convicted of drunk driving or arrested for other dangerous crimes detained during removal proceedings.
“Kate’s Law” (H.R. 3004) enhances penalties for deported felons who illegally return to the United States.
Both pieces of legislation passed in the House of Representatives.
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