Thread: Edwards: Federal dollars should not be used to block immigration enforcement

Edwards: Federal dollars should not be used to block immigration enforcement

December 19, 2023


WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Chuck Edwards (NC-11) introduced today the Cooperation with ICE Act to strengthen federal immigration law by making sure that state and local governments that obstruct federal immigration enforcement cannot do so with federal dollars.

The Cooperation with ICE Act would withhold Shelter and Services Program (SSP) funding, or funding under any future program with a similar mission, from any state or local government that refuses to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or hinders the enforcement of federal immigration laws. The SSP provides funding to non-federal entities that provide shelter and other eligible services to non-U.S. citizens who are encountered by the Department of Homeland Security and are awaiting immigrant proceedings.

“Everywhere I go in WNC, the top concern that I hear from constituents is about our border. It is clear that this administration’s open-border policies have turned every state into a border state. The Cooperation with ICE Act will stop rewarding sanctuary cities with federal dollars when they refuse to cooperate with ICE or try to block the enforcement of our immigration laws,” said Congressman Edwards. “These sanctuary cities shield dangerous and violent illegal immigrants, many of whom are reoffenders, from ICE – all on the taxpayers’ dime.”

"This bill seeks to prevent the Biden-Harris administration and their open-borders political allies in cities from using US taxpayer funds to attract and support illegal immigrants purposely misclassified as migrants. US taxpayers should not be forced to pay for this politically motivated invasion of our American homeland." - William Gheen, President, Americans for Legal Immigration

In fiscal year 2023, the SSP and its predecessor program, the Emergency Food and Shelter Program – Humanitarian, awarded state and local grants totaling $788.8 million. These awards included millions of taxpayer dollars to sanctuary cities such as Albuquerque, N.M. and Riverside County, Calif. that receive migrants but refuse to cooperate with ICE. Taxpayers are thus forced to pay the bills for violent aliens’ incarcerations and court-appointed attorneys as local governments ignore ICE’s requests to hold certain immigrants long enough for ICE to take the immigrant into federal custody.


Endorsements

Heritage Action & Americans for Legal Immigration

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https://edwards.house.gov/media/pres...on-enforcement

We should not be paying for shelter, airplanes, buses, transportation, food, clothes, school, or healthcare!

They should be deported; they have no rights here.

This is embezzlement and misappropriation of our tax dollars.

Our government has turned into a taxpayer funded Travel Agency for human trafficking of illegal aliens, refugees, and asylum liars for the entire world.

It all needs to be defunded and stopped.