Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of the Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006. This bill reaffirms the inherent authority of State and local law enforcement to voluntarily investigate. identify. apprehend. arrest. detain and transfer to federal custody aliens in the U.S. in order to assist in the enforcement of the immigration laws. Presently. many cities are enacting socalled "sanctuary" policies. which prohibit local police from asking about a persons immigration status or reporting illegal aliens who commit crimes to immigration authorities for deportation. Passed in 1996. the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act forbids localities from preventing their police officers from asking for or reporting immigration information to the Federal Government. Existing federal law says: Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal. State or local law. a Federal. State. or local government entity or official may not prohibit or in any way restrict any government entity or official from sending to or receiving information regarding the citizenship or immigration status. lawful or unlawful. of any individual. Despite this ban. some cities continue to prohibit their officers from asking about immigration status or providing information to the Federal Government. Make no mistake about it: This is a situation of local governments blatantly violating Federal law. As a result. U.S. taxpayers pay to incarcerate illegal alien prisoners who are later released back onto the streets. Sanctuary policies tie the hands of local law enforcement officers and keep illegal aliens who commit crimes in our country. rather than deporting criminals according to U.S. law. These sanctuary policies have disastrous consequences. Our State and local governments serve as the front line of defense against terrorism and criminal aliens. Every murder. every rape. every violent gang crime committed against Americans by illegal aliens is an utterly preventable crime. If we better enforce our immigration laws to keep criminals out. we will save lives. We must use the law enforcement resources we have. at every level. to enforce our laws. with the end result of making our Nation a safer place for our grandchildren to grow up in. 52. Pt. 14 September 21. 2006
Identified stereotypes
Generalization that illegal aliens commit crimes and are a threat to public safety.