Pursueing Sanctuary Cities: It's About God Damned Time

From NumbersUSA:

On Thursday, June 16th, the House of Representatives voted on an amendment to H.R. 2862 (the Science, the Departments of State, Justice, and Commerce, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (SSJC Appropriations), offered by Rep.

Steve King (R-IA). The amendment puts the House clearly on record that it expects the Justice Department to use $1 million to enforce the law and go after cities that have sanctuary policies and refuse to cooperate in removing illegal aliens.

Sanctuary policies bar public officials, including police officers, from asking an individual's immigration status to determine eligibility for public services and from reporting illegal aliens to federal authorities. In 1996, Congress passed a law that specifically prohibits state and local governments from enacting sanctuary policies. Despite that, cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston, still have sanctuary policies in place. Maine is the only state with a sanctuary policy.

The amendment, offered by Rep. King, encourages the Justice Department to enforce federal law against cities and states that have policies that protect illegal aliens, criminal aliens, and, potentially, terrorists. The amendment passed by a vote of 218-208.

The vote was, as expected, along party lines - Democrats against it, Republicans for it...FINALLY. This sort of legislation has been in front of the House 2 times previously, defeated each time.