Immigration Reform Caucus

Bill Also Makes Illegal Immigration a Felony

September 17, 2007

washington d.c. — U.S. Representative Ginny Brown-Waite (FL-05) has introduced legislation to crack down on the growing trend of sanctuary cities providing illegal immigrants with a safe harbor from penalty or arrest.  Her bill, H.R. 3531, the Accountability in Enforcing Immigration Laws Act of 2007 was introduced September 14, 2007 with original co-sponsors Reps. Brian Bilbray (CA-50), Thelma Drake (VA-02), Jeff Miller (FL-01) and Tom Tancredo (CO-06).

“The thwarted terrorist plots at John F. Kennedy airport, in Germany and in South Carolina are some of the latest examples of the continued desire of anti-American forces to inflict harm on the United States and its allies,” said Rep. Brown-Waite.  “While we are engaged in a global fight for freedom, why would any American city enact policies that give unknown illegal immigrants sanctuary from detection, arrest or prosecution?  Instead of working side-by-side with federal authorities, state officials are putting their citizens at risk by erecting barriers to cooperation and enforcement.  That has to stop, and my legislation is the best way to make local governments comply.”

As commonly understood by 5^th District residents, a sanctuary city is one that has established ordinances that prevent cooperation between local police and federal immigration authorities.  One example would be where local police forces are specifically prohibited from checking an individual’s immigration status in the course of routine duties. By failing to notify immigration officials, these wrongheaded policies ensure that illegal immigrants who have been ordered for deportation or who might be listed on terrorist watch lists will remain at large in the community.

“When cities proclaim that they will not check immigration status, they essentially become a safe haven for not only out-of-status immigrants, but criminal aliens who have often committed violent atrocities in our country,” continued Rep. Brown-Waite.  “Imagine that Mohammed Atta or one of the other 9/11 hijackers, who were in the country illegally, had a city they could reside in to plot terrorist attacks with no fear of ever being checked or deported.  We run the risk of inviting terror into these cities.”

A frequently asked question document and a section-by-section analysis of the bill are attached to this release.

 

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