Oppose Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. LINDA T. SÁNCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in staunch opposition to H.R. 3009, the Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act, or perhaps better titled, the ``Donald Trump Act.'' This bill is nothing more than an underhanded ploy to criminalize the immigrant community who, research shows, is less likely to commit serious crimes than native-born persons. To demonize an entire community based on the actions of a few does not inform wise policy.

Local police are best equipped to make decisions of how best to serve their communities. Let them make those decisions. Withholding Federal funds from jurisdictions who have adopted local trust policies will not make our communities safer or fix our broken immigration system. It will only make it more difficult for local police to provide public safety to their communities.

Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, this doesn't come as a surprise. This is the same Republican-led Congress that nearly shut down the Department of Homeland Security, compromising the safety of our communities.

I have consistently said that we need to focus on passing comprehensive immigration reform, yet time and time again, Republicans have shown the only aspect of immigration reform they are interested in is deportation.

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