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Politics

House Passes Bill to Crack Down on Sanctuary Cities

February 3, 2016 - 5:15pm

The Florida House of Representatives voted to crack down on sanctuary cities Wednesday, passing a bill to penalize counties not cooperating with federal law by a vote of 80-38.

HB 675, sponsored by Rep. Larry Metz, R-Yalaha, would punish sanctuary cities or counties which do not cooperate with federal immigration laws. Local law enforcement officers would be required to detain illegal immigrants for the federal government, a provision federal courts say violates the 10th amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Counties not cooperating with the laws could face civil actions from the attorney general. Those citations could cost counties a pretty penny — to the tune of up to $5,000 per day.
According to a report from the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, there are 30 “sanctuary counties” around Florida where law enforcement officers are forbidden from asking immigrants about their immigration status. 

Immigrants will often head to sanctuary cities or counties, fleeing their home countries either to escape poverty or begin new opportunities in America.

Republicans supporting the bill say it’s not about antagonizing undocumented immigrants but is simply about enforcing the rule of federal law. 

“This bill would basically say, as a matter of policy in the state of Florida, that we’re not going to tolerate state or local governmental agencies from refusing to cooperate with the enforcement of existing federal immigration law,” Rep. Metz said on the bill.

But opponents of the bill -- many of them Democrats --- said it wasn’t local law enforcement officers’ responsibility to detain undocumented immigrants. 
"Let the federal government do their jobs,” said Rep. Hazelle Rogers, D-Lauderdale Lakes. “If [local law enforcement officers] wanted to work for ICE, they would have gone there." 

Immigrant groups have chimed in on the legislation in a similar fashion, saying the bill would simply perpetuate fear throughout Florida and harm an important part of the state’s population.

“What this means is that our teachers will be forced to report undocumented students or their parents, while local local law enforcement will have to hold immigrants in detention only for being undocumented,” said Francesca Menes, Policy Director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition. “Can you imagine the fear this will generate in the community? Immigrants will be afraid to call to the Police to report a crime and parents will fear taking their kids to school.”

Rep. Rogers agreed, saying immigrant families would be torn apart by the legislation since it could force local agencies to help deport parents from their children living in Florida.

"You will break up families..if we continue to have these subjective behaviors,” she said. “I'm afraid for my children." 

The Senate companion bill was introduced in the Senate Judiciary committee in January. 

 

Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.

Comments

about time ..rule of law work with the law and you will be in the right all the time and afforded the protection it provides. GREAT DAY..finally something done for the state and its citizens.

They are ALL "ILLEGAL INVADERS" entering our Country as MARAUDERS sucking-up entitlements and services, and bankrupting our Tax system as well as destroying our American culture. Send them ALL back to the continent they came from ! Then let them work on getting here LEGALLY,..not in ant-colony fashion... signed// a Democrat

I thought Florida belonged to the Union.

MAKE A CORRECTION PLEASE "“What this means is that our teachers will be forced to report undocumented students or their parents, while local local law enforcement will have to hold immigrants in detention only for being undocumented,” said Francesca Menes, Policy Director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition. “Can you imagine the fear this will generate in the community? Immigrants will be afraid to call to the Police to report a crime and parents will fear taking their kids to school.” - That is a false statement, federal law prohibit such thing, even Representative Metz said that today and it is not in HB675 http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=55609

MAKE A CORRECTION PLEASE "“What this means is that our teachers will be forced to report undocumented students or their parents, while local local law enforcement will have to hold immigrants in detention only for being undocumented,” said Francesca Menes, Policy Director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition. “Can you imagine the fear this will generate in the community? Immigrants will be afraid to call to the Police to report a crime and parents will fear taking their kids to school.” - That is a false, federal law prohibit such thing, even Representative Metz said that today and it is not in HB675 http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=55609

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