DeLauro Cosponsors Legislation to Safeguard Sanctuary Cities

WASHINGTON, DC (January 31, 2017) — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) this week joined Congressman Mike Quigley (IL-05) in cosponsoring the Safeguarding Sanctuary Cities Act, which ensures that federal funds cannot be unduly withheld from any state or local authority that limits or restricts compliance with a voluntary immigration detainer request.

"While President Trump claims that his new executive orders, including one eliminating federal funding for sanctuary cities, will make us safer, his actions only serve to gut our community of vital resources that help our families stay safe and secure, fund our police department, and educate our children," said DeLauro. "President Trump's executive order targeting sanctuary cities must end, and the Safeguarding Sanctuary Cities Act will ensure that cities like New Haven can continue to devote resources to critical services. Our local law enforcement, public school officials, and city employees cannot and should not be immigration agents."

Last week, President Trump signed an executive order that signaled the first step in his efforts to target sanctuary cities by threatening the cities' federal funding if they do not comply with certain immigration laws. Under the President's executive order, New Haven may have critical funding eliminated. Some of the programs at risk for losing funding include the COPS Office Anti-Heroin Task Force, the Byrne JAG program, New Haven Public Schools and Magnet Schools, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Community Development Block Grants, Ryan White HIV/ AIDS Grants, and TIGER Grants.

DeLauro has repeatedly called on President Trump to rescind his executive orders targeting immigrants and refugees. She also continues to push Congress to enact comprehensive immigration reform, which includes a path to legal citizenship for undocumented immigrants.