Speech #1100106770

I think it is very important to make clear that we are not changing present Federal law with this amendment. we are simply trying to enforce it. In 1996. Congress passed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act. and section 642(a) of that legislation. now over 10 years old. is very clear: 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 from. the Immigration and Naturalization Service information regarding the citizenship or immigration status. lawful or unlawful. of any individual. It couldnt be clearer. and it couldnt be simpler. That is present Federal law and has been for over 10 yearscooperate and share information. You cannot prohibit that basic. straightforward. reasonable sharing of information. Our Federal authorities have a very difficult job to do. and they can never get it done without reasonable minimal help from other law enforcement officials around the country. The problem is there are these socalled sanctuary cities or sanctuary jurisdictions that have made it perfectly clear they are going to ignore that Federal law. They are going to break that Federal law. They are not going to cooperate in any way with the enforcement of our immigration laws. They are going to be part of an active movement to flaunt them. to not enforce those laws. and to frustrate the enforcement of those laws. Not surprisingly. this is perhaps clearest coming out of San Francisco. There the mayor said very clearlyand this was just this past April in response to the Federal authorities raid on an Oakland business. where they arrested 13 foreign nationals who entered the country illegallythe San Francisco mayor said: I will not allow any of my department heads or anyone associated with this city to cooperate in any way. shape. or form with these raids. We are a sanctuary city. make no mistake about it. One of his counterparts in the area. the mayor of Richmond. CA. just outside of San Francisco. actually went a little further. if you can believe that. if you can believe it is possible to go further.