Mr. Speaker, across the country, more than 300
municipalities have adopted policies to limit local law enforcement
cooperation with Federal authorities, making it harder to keep our
families and communities safe. Back in my home State of Tennessee, the Nashville City Council has
recently been advancing legislation to become one of these sanctuary
cities. Giving Federal funds to sanctuary cities defies logic and it
demands attention. Yesterday, I offered an amendment to expand the bill before us today
so that sanctuary cities would no longer have access to Community
Development Block Grants and certain other economic development grants,
as well, that send more than about 300 billion taxpayer dollars a year
to local communities. On its website, the Community Development Block Grant program says
its purpose is to provide services to vulnerable communities and
address issues that ``pose an immediate threat to the health or welfare
of the community.''
What population is more vulnerable than a 6-year-old girl in Lebanon,
Tennessee, who was sexually molested while she was sleeping? Just last
month, charges were brought against a criminal illegal immigrant for
repeatedly breaking into her room at night and making videos while he
assaulted her. The evil individual had been in police custody before. For Kate Steinle, who has been talked about many times on the floor,
her killer had a criminal record of not one, two, or three, but seven
felonies. He had been deported not once, twice, or three times, but
five times. Is that who liberal legislators around the country want to
give ``sanctuary''? We need more communication and cooperation between local, State, and
Federal law enforcement officers who are trying to keep our communities
safe, not less.
Keywords matched
deported sanctuary
cities sanctuary cities illegal immigrant