[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 198 (Tuesday, December 5, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H9624]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            SANCTUARY CITIES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I am rising today to talk about an issue 
that women are talking about every single day, and as I am home and out 
and about in my district, I hear this repeatedly. They will come up to 
me and they will say: Marsha, I am becoming a security mom. I fear for 
the security of my children. I am concerned about what is happening on 
our streets and in our communities.
  Mr. Speaker, I will tell you, last week, after the verdict came down 
in the Kate Steinle trial, the fact that a criminal illegal alien was 
not found guilty, I received so many comments and calls from people 
saying something needs to be done about this because justice was not 
delivered for the life of Kate Steinle.
  That brings us to the issue of sanctuary cities and those policies, 
the very idea that some elected officials or some cities could choose 
to say: We will become a haven for those who are outside of Federal 
law--but not all Federal law, just this particular Federal law.
  That defies common sense. It defies reason because we are a nation of 
laws, a nation that abides by the rule of law, a nation of law and 
order--not of anarchy.
  Sanctuary city policies are making America less safe. On this, there 
should be no doubt. We have to think: What does this example set for 
our country? What does it say to people who abide by the law, who feel 
that their lives are endangered, that their security is endangered? 
What kind of message do sanctuary policies send to the thin blue line, 
people who stand to protect us every single day?
  I would suggest that sanctuary city policies are cracking the 
foundation of our democracy. It is why it is important that this body 
take action. I would suggest it is why it is important that we pass the 
CLEAR Act, legislation I have authored that would strip sanctuary 
cities of funding, that would require that criminal illegal aliens be 
deported from this country.

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