Senate Democrats block two bills aiming to encourage enforcement, strengthen federal immigration laws

Senate Democrats successfully filibustered two bills on Wednesday designed to compel cities to fully enforce standing immigration laws and to prevent reentry by illegal immigrants.

The Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act, S. 3100, introduced by U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA), would have withheld federal funding for “sanctuary cities” that prevent the police from cooperating with federal immigration officials.

“Despite the support of a bipartisan majority, the Senate has once again failed to act on a critical public safety issue,” Toomey said. “Sanctuary cities are Orwellian in their logic — they give extra protection to dangerous criminals, just because they happen to be in the country illegally. This is a dangerous injustice that must be stopped, and I will continue to fight it.” 

The filibuster also blocked Kate’s Law, S. 2193, which would have amended the Immigration and Nationality Act to increase penalties for those who illegally reenter the United States after previously being removed.

U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) said that the bills were important for those who care about the rule of law and for those who care about keeping Americans safe from repeat offender criminals.

“I’m disappointed Senate Democrats are voting to prevent these bills from going forward, and in doing so, they are continuing to put American lives at risk,” Burr said. “Regardless of one’s position on immigration, we should all be able to agree that illegal immigrants who are known violent criminals should not be allowed to roam free in the United States.”

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) said that cities put Americans at risk when they “pick and choose which laws they’re going to enforce,” as demonstrated by the case involving the 32-year-old Kate Steinle last year. Steinle was shot in San Francisco by a homeless man identified by authorities as Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, an illegal immigrant from Mexico who had been deported a reported five times previously.

“Republicans put forth two common-sense proposals that would keep families safe by holding sanctuary cities accountable for enforcing the laws that are on the books, and increasing penalties for undocumented individuals who reenter the country illegally after they have been deported,” Blunt said. “Our cities should be safe havens for families, not terrorists and criminals. I am disappointed that Democrats blocked our efforts to uphold that simple principle.”