SE North Carolina News

Washington, D.C. — Today, Senators Ted Budd (R-NC) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced two bills that would crack down on sanctuary cities and incentivize deportation for criminal illegal aliens.

The first bill, the Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act, would allow the victims of murders, rapes, and other felonies committed by illegal immigrants to sue sanctuary states or cities that failed to honor a detainer request. The bill also bans certain federal grants to sanctuary jurisdictions. The bill is a direct response to a growing number of sanctuary jurisdictions across the nation that either have official sanctuary policies or are refusing to comply with detainer requests and release notifications from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Senator Budd twice led this legislation in the U.S. House in 2019 and 2021.

The second bill, the Immigration Detainer Enforcement Act, would clarify DHS detainer authority, clearly establish the authority of states and localities to maintain custody in cases in which a detainer has been issued, and incentivize cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the Department through the reimbursement of certain detention, technology, and litigation-related costs.

Both pieces of legislation are co-sponsored by Senators Tim Scott (R-SC), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Steve Daines (R-MT), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA). Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) are also co-sponsors of the Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act.

Senator Budd emphasized the importance of the bills, stating, "This is a matter of public safety and the rule of law. At a time when the Biden administration refuses to crack down on sanctuary cities, Congress has the responsibility to act. It’s long past time that cities who refuse to enforce our immigration laws face legal consequences. Our bill will put lawless cities on notice and will incentivize them to enforce our laws and keep our streets safe. I’d like to thank Senator Tillis for again leading these efforts."

Senator Tillis echoed similar sentiments, expressing the need for action against sanctuary cities: "For too long, we have watched local jurisdictions in North Carolina and across the country ignore the lawful notification and detainer requests made by ICE agents, instead releasing dangerous criminals back into the communities and putting innocent lives at risk. It is clear President Biden and liberal politicians want to prioritize reckless sanctuary policies over public safety. It is time for Congress to step in and put an end to this madness by holding sanctuary cities accountable and empowering ICE to gain custody of criminal illegal immigrants so they can’t cause more harm and violence."