Speech #1030111779

I am very pleased to support Senator ROTH on this amendment. Hear what is happening. In this immigration debate. which is ongoing in our country. just like crimeit will always be an ongoing Issuewe continually hear from the local and State governments that illegal immigration is the Federal Governments responsibility. How many times have you heard that in the Chamber in recent times. and that because then we do a miserable failure in the Nation in our responsibility to prevent illegal immigration. and yet we certainly are doing some significant things in a bipartisan way. the States are then burdened with the costs and expenses attributed to the unauthorized immigrants. It is a travesty. in my mind. for the State and local governments on the one hand to expect the Federal Government to reimburse them for costs attributable to illegal immigrants. when on the other hand the State and local governments prohibit their own law enforcement and other officials from cooperating with the Immigration and Naturalization Service to locate or apprehend or expel illegal aliens. In the last decade. we have even seen these sanctuary cities and towns. we have seen city councils in their misguided zeal ordering law enforcement officials not to communicate with immigration officers regarding illegal aliens and other types of actions like that by local governments to frustrate the Immigration Service in its work. If the State and local governments wish to have such a policy. that is their business. But I fully support Senator ROTH in his bill to prevent those local government entities from receiving funds under this crime bill if they do not cooperate with the Federal law enforcement officers.