House chairman: Stop funding 'sanctuary cities' now
By Paul Bedard (@SecretsBedard) • 2/1/16 5:23 PM
The top House appropriator in charge of Justice Department spending said Monday that he "will use every tool at my disposal" to end taxpayer funding to 300 so-called "sanctuary cities" that refuse to turn over illegal immigrant criminals to the federal government for deportation.
"The bottom line is very simple, state or local law enforcement agencies are expected to work cooperatively with federal law enforcement agencies," said Rep. John Culberson. "Communities that do not work with federal law enforcement officials, in violation of federal law, should not expect to receive federal grant funding from the Department of Justice," he added.
Culberson is the chairman of the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittee and his would be the boldest move to shut down funding of sanctuary cities that ignore federal demands for information and access to jailed illegals.
He sent a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch Monday warning Justice to adopt a policy of refusing funding to the cities.
Culberson argued that there are clear laws barring cities getting tax dollars from blowing off federal demands for information on immigrants. Grant applications for federal funding are clear cut on that issue, but he said cities like San Francisco take tax dollars then ignore requests for illegals from federal authorities.
Sanctuary cities made headlines last year when an illegal immigrant repeatedly deported, was released from jail in San Francisco and allegedly murdered a local tourist. Federal authorities had sought the illegal, but the city has a sanctuary policy believing that the federal government's immigration policies are unfair.
Culberson is blowing the whistle on that.
"This is a complicated problem with a simple solution. State and local law enforcement agencies should not receive federal law enforcement grant money unless they are in compliance with federal law," he said.
The Center for Immigration Studies has posted a map showing the 300 sanctuary cities.
Read the Republican lawmaker's full letter to the attorney general below.
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/house-chairman-stop-funding-sanctuary-cities-now/article/2582048
