Culberson Meets with Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Reaffirms Commitment to Defunding Sanctuary Cities

Statement

Representative John Culberson (TX-07) met with Attorney General Jeff Sessions to discuss his work with the Department of Justice and his efforts to defund sanctuary cities.

"As the Chairman of the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee on Appropriations, I am committed to providing resources to our law enforcement officials and restoring the rule of law in our country. Last year, I persuaded Attorney General Loretta Lynch to change the Department of Justice's policy so that sanctuary jurisdictions are no longer eligible to receive federal law enforcement grants going forward.

"Today, Attorney General Sessions reaffirmed the Administration's pledge that cities who receive our hard-earned tax dollars must be in compliance with federal immigration law, and I will continue to conduct the necessary oversight to ensure that jurisdictions who protect criminal illegal aliens do not receive federal law enforcement grant money."

On July 7, 2016 the Department of Justice released updated guidelines that disqualify sanctuary cities from receiving DOJ grant money if they are found to be in violation of 8 USC § 1373. On July 28, 2016, the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General publicly confirmed that ten of the nation's largest grant recipients are not in compliance with federal immigration law and could stand to lose millions of dollars in federal law enforcement grants for the upcoming FY2017 cycle.

Source