Mr. Chair. it really is ironic that this amendment is even necessary. It would not be necessary if the executive branch and the Department of Justice and Homeland Security were all doing their job and applying the law to each one of these sanctuary cities. I do want to point to the fact that. back in February of this year. Attorney General Loretta Lynch testified before the House Appropriations Committee. It was in that committee that she talked about cracking down on what is happening in these sanctuary cities. I want to read what was in The Washington Times that came as a result of that testimony: "The Obama administration is preparing to crack down on sanctuary cities. Attorney General Loretta Lynch told Congress on Wednesday. saying she would try to stop Federal grant money from going to jurisdictions that actively thwart agents seeking to deport illegal immigrants." It goes on to say that there was a followup in a letter to Mr. CULBERSON that week that the Justice Department said that if it determined that a city or a county receiving Federal grants is refusing to cooperate with ICE agents. they could lose money and face criminal prosecution. So. hopefully. we will see the administration crack down on what really is unlawful. and that is for these sanctuary cities to be in operation at all. They should not be receiving any Federal funds in each one of these appropriation bills. and that is exactly what this amendment does. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
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ICE agents sanctuary cities illegal immigrants