Loeffler Works to Strengthen Immigration Enforcement
Loeffler Cosponsors Legislation to Empower Immigration Law Enforcement and Crack Down on Sanctuary States
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) today announced her support for two pieces of legislation seeking to strengthen enforcement of our country’s immigrations laws.
Loeffler cosponsored U.S. Senator Joni Ernst’s S.285, Sarah’s Law, which allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain anyone unlawfully present in the U.S. who is charged with a crime resulting in the death or serious bodily injury of another person. Loeffler also cosponsored U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn’s S.3286, Stop Greenlighting Driver Licenses for Illegal Immigrants Act, which seeks to impose a financial burden on states that defy federal immigration law.
“The foremost responsibility of the federal government is to protect its citizens,” said Loeffler. “For decades, America has felt the repercussions of failed immigration policies. Too many have suffered the consequences of irresponsible sanctuary policies that undermine the rule of law and endanger American families. We must take steps to ensure that our federal laws are being followed by all jurisdictions while empowering our immigration officers to keep our communities safe from violent criminals. It’s clear we must start implementing consequences for states that refuse to enforce immigration laws and continue to chip away at our homeland security. I’m proud to cosponsor these bills that seek to ensure our government is able to do its most basic duty of keeping America safe.”
Background:
Sarah’s Law is legislation to honor Sarah Root, an Iowan who was killed in 2016 by a drunk driver in the country illegally. The bill amends the mandatory detention provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act to require the detention of unlawful migrants present in the United States who are charged with a crime resulting in the death or serious bodily injury of an individual. It also incorporates a requirement that upon encountering an illegal immigrant subject to mandatory detention that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement make reasonable efforts to identify victims and their families and provide the agency with pertinent information.
The Stop Greenlighting Driver Licenses for Illegal Immigrants Act prohibits the allocation of funds under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program to states that permit illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses or fail to share immigration enforcement information with the Department of Homeland Security. In Fiscal Year 2019, states that issued driver licenses to illegal immigrants received nearly $53 million from this program.
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