NAICU Washington Update

Immigration Bills Pass in the House

July 07, 2017

Two bills passed the U.S. House of Representatives targeting both illegal immigrants and cities that do not comply with immigration laws.   Both bills are headed to the Senate, where their fate is uncertain.

With bipartisan support, Kate’s Law (H.R. 3004) passed the House easily.  Kate’s Law refers to Kate Steinle, 32, who was shot and killed by a man with seven felony convictions who was deported to Mexico five times before reentering the U.S. and murdering Steinle in San Francisco in 2015.  The bill passed by the House will increase penalties on criminal aliens who unlawfully reenter the U.S. with mandatory fines and imprisonment depending on the crime(s) committed.

On a near party-line vote, the House also passed the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act (H.R. 3003) which cuts funding to cities that refuse to comply with federal immigration laws.  This act would deny almost all law enforcement, Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and other similar federal grants to cities that restrict or resist immigration enforcement efforts.  These funds would be redistributed to cities in compliance with immigration laws.

The Senate is likely to take up similar bills, but the exact timing remains unclear.  The White House considers these efforts a giant step toward comprehensive immigration reform.
 

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