WASHINGTON, D.C. — A bill introduced in Congress on Tuesday — backed by U.S. senators from Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Nebraska — would block federal funding to "sanctuary cities," the term for jurisdictions with policies that harbor illegal immigrants.
The legislation, called the No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act, was announced by U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho.
Co-sponsors, all Republicans, include Risch’s Idaho colleague, U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo. They also include U.S. Sens. Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy, both of Montana, plus Pete Ricketts of Nebraska and Mike Lee of Utah.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyoming, is not yet an official co-sponsor but told Cowboy State Daily that he backs the bill. He also said he supports an executive order signed last week by President Donald Trump to block federal agencies and programs from providing taxpayer-funded services to illegal immigrants.
“It’s an outrageous insult to the American people to use our taxpayer dollars to subsidize sanctuary cities and their handouts to illegal immigrants,” Barrasso said “I support Senator Risch’s legislation, as well as President Trump’s executive action, to crack down on sanctuary cities and eliminate incentives that fueled the immigration crisis in the first place.”
Added Barrasso: "I will continue to fight against any money from taxpayers in Wyoming and across the country from falling into the hands of those who break our laws.”
U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyoming, is not a co-sponsor either at this point and did not provide a quote Tuesday to Cowboy State Daily. However, Joe Jackson, a spokesman for Wyoming’s junior senator, said she supports the principle behind the legislation.
"Senator Lummis fully agrees that no taxpayer dollars should be used to fund sanctuary cities,” Jackson said, adding that Lummis is co-sponsoring a different bill against illegal immigration. “She looks forward to continuing to work with her colleagues and the Trump administration to fix the Biden border crisis."
A spokeswoman for Barrasso added that during the Biden administration. Wyoming's senior senator questioned Xavier Becerra, the Health and Human Services secretary at the time, about hospitals in sanctuary cities across the country overwhelmed by illegal immigrants.
Executive Order
Risch, in his announcement Tuesday on the new bill, said sanctuary cities “abuse taxpayer dollars and fuel the illegal immigration crisis.
“My No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act stops these jurisdictions from using federal funding to directly give handouts to illegal immigrants,” he said.
Risch said the bill aligns with the executive order that Barrasso referred to. Trump signed the order Feb. 19.
A White House summary of Trump’s order cites cost estimates from the nonprofit group Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). The group says U.S. taxpayers spend at least $182 billion annually to cover the costs incurred by the presence of 20 million illegal aliens and their children.
That includes $66.5 billion in federal expenses plus an additional $115.6 billion in state and local costs, according to the group’s estimates cited by the White House in the summary of Trump’s order.
Risch’s press release announcing the new bill did not cite cost estimates. It did include statements from several senators co-sponsoring the bill.
“Nobody in their right mind would say it’s a good idea to force hardworking American taxpayers to subsidize sanctuary cities and incentivize the illegal invasion of our country,” Montana’s Sheehy said. “It’s time we put an end to the backward policies that encourage illegal immigration, and I’m proud to stand with my colleagues in support of this America First bill to bring back common sense, restore fiscal sanity, and put the interests of our people first.”
Added Lee of Utah: “Lawless so-called sanctuary cities should no longer get a free pass to sabotage our national security and the safety of communities across America. Under this legislation, if you ignore federal law and refuse to hand over dangerous criminals to ICE and other authorities, you don’t get federal funding. American taxpayers should no longer be compelled to support sanctuary cities and states which endanger their families.”
According to Risch, the bill defines “sanctuary jurisdiction” as any local or state government entity that withholds information regarding an individual’s citizenship status from federal, state, or other local authorities.
The bill would prevent sanctuary jurisdictions “from receiving federal funds for the specific benefit of illegal immigrants,” Risch said.
Other co-sponsors of the bill are senators from Indiana, Missouri and Mississippi.
The bill is a companion to legislation introduced in the U.S. House last month by U.S. Rep. Nick LaLota, a Republican who represents part of Long Island outside New York City.
U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyoming, is not an official co-sponsor but said she backs the bill.
"I voted for the No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act last Congress and plan to support the legislation again this Congress," Hageman told Cowboy State Daily. "Cities can't expect to violate federal law, against the will of the American voters, and still receive federal funding."
