BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3003, a partisan bill that
seeks to punish so-called sanctuary cities, strikes at the heart of
community-based policing efforts vital to public safety. Under this bill, States and counties where local police focus on
community priorities rather than immigration enforcement would be
punished, losing millions of dollars that could be used to build up
communities, improve our Nation's infrastructure, and strengthen local
government. Moreover, this bill would jeopardize public safety by discouraging
people from trusting law enforcement, sharing information, or reporting
crime. Across the country, most police chiefs have expressed serious
concerns about policies that may lead to racial profiling or requiring
their officers to break up families. They have said that immigration enforcement should remain a Federal
responsibility. Instead of forcing local police to act as immigration
officers, we should work on passing comprehensive immigration reform
that includes a pathway to citizenship for aspiring Americans. And if we truly want to makes the streets of America safer, Congress
should act to strengthen bonds between community and police, invest in
mental health and substance abuse services, reduce gun violence, and
reform the criminal justice system.
Keywords matched
immigration sanctuary cities