[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 112 (Thursday, June 29, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E933]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        H.R. 3003 AND H.R. 3004

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 29, 2017

  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to two punitive, 
anti-immigrant bills: H.R. 3003, the so-called ``No Sanctuary for 
Criminals Act,'' and H.R. 3004, the so-called ``Kate's Law.'' These 
cruel and unnecessary bills help to convert Donald Trump's vicious 
immigration rhetoric into policy that threatens the safety of our 
country and our communities.
  H.R. 3003 coerces states and localities to cooperate with federal 
immigration enforcement, and bans them from receiving crucial federal 
funds if these jurisdictions don't comply. The bill also expands DHS's 
authority to detain individuals, even allowing them to be held in 
detention indefinitely, a provision which may violate the Fourth 
Amendment.
  H.R. 3004 expands prosecutions for individuals for unauthorized re-
entry and attempted re-entry into the United States. Under this bill, 
even asylum seekers and victims of human trafficking could be 
prosecuted by the federal government for simply entering the country. 
It would even allow prosecution of individuals who seek to re-enter the 
U.S. with legal authorization to do so.
  These bills do clear and direct damage to America's safety and 
America's values. We do not make America more secure by holding ransom 
local law enforcement funds that keep us safe. We don't fight crime by 
making residents less likely to report crime. We do not honor America's 
humanitarian history by prosecuting asylum seekers and human 
trafficking victims. We do not honor family values by keeping immigrant 
families separated. We do not preserve America's strength as a thriving 
nation of immigrants by encouraging fear of those who have come to make 
our nation stronger. We do not preserve, protect, and defend the U.S. 
Constitution by letting law enforcement flout the Fourth Amendment, or 
by detaining individuals indefinitely.
  These bills leave American communities less protected in the face of 
threats large and small. These bills insult America's reputation as a 
welcoming beacon for every nation, race, and faith. We must keep 
America safe, but we will not do so by demonizing and persecuting 
innocent immigrants. We need a sensible immigration policy, not one 
rooted in fear and hate. I call on Republicans to join me and my 
Democratic colleagues in developing a comprehensive immigration reform 
plan that keeps our borders secure, addresses the need for temporary 
workers, resolves the status of DREAMers and millions of other 
undocumented immigrants, and provides a path to citizenship.
  I urge my colleagues to vote no on H.R. 3003 and H.R. 3004.

                          ____________________