President Trump Highlights Tillis' Sanctuary Cities Legislation in SOTU Speech

Statement

Today, President Trump highlighted legislation introduced by Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) to stop dangerous sanctuary cities policies in his State of the Union speech.

Last year, a WBTV report detailed that nearly 500 illegal immigrants have been released from North Carolina jails in the last 10 months after local sheriffs refused to comply with detainer requests made by ICE. Currently, North Carolina's Buncombe, Cumberland, Durham, Forsyth, Guilford, Mecklenburg, and Wake Counties have official sanctuary policies or are refusing to comply with detainer requests and release notifications from the Department of Homeland Security.

"Thank you to President Trump for taking the time in his State of the Union speech to highlight the danger sanctuary policies bring to families across the country," said Senator Tillis. "These reckless policies are being implemented in North Carolina's largest counties and putting families at risk, and that is why I have introduced multiple bills and worked with local sheriffs to change federal law and make communities safer. I will continue to work with my colleagues and President Trump to end sanctuary policies once and for all, and I appreciate the Administration's commitment to work with Congress to protect Americans from the reckless policies."

Background:

Last year, Senator Tillis introduced the Immigration Detainer Enforcement Act, legislation that would clarify the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) detainer authority, clearly establish the authority of states and localities to maintain custody in cases in which a detainer has been issued, and incentivize cooperation between law enforcement agencies and DHS through the reimbursement of certain detention, technology, and litigation-related costs.

The introduction was a follow-up to the Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act, legislation introduced by Senator Tillis that would hold sanctuary jurisdictions like Mecklenburg County accountable for failing to comply with lawful detainer and release notification requests made by federal authorities. Tillis' legislation creates a private right of civil action for the victims of sanctuary jurisdictions, allowing them to bring an action for compensatory damages against the sanctuary jurisdiction as a result of a violent crime committed by an illegal immigrant.

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