[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 20]
[House]
[Page 26971]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   AMERICANS OPPOSE SANCTUARY CITIES

  (Mr. SMITH of Texas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, a recent Rasmussen Report shows 
that 68 percent of U.S. voters oppose the creation of sanctuary cities 
that give safe haven to illegal immigrants. And by a 5-2 margin, voters 
say sanctuary policies that protect illegal immigrants lead to an 
increase in crime.
  Not only are sanctuary cities unpopular, they are illegal. They are 
specifically prohibited in the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant 
Responsibility Act of 1996. But the Obama administration has not held 
any jurisdictions that adopt and maintain sanctuary policies 
responsible.
  It's no wonder that a recent CNN/Opinion Research poll found that 58 
percent of respondents disapproved of the President's handling of 
illegal immigration while only 36 percent approve. And his poll numbers 
aren't going to be helped if taxpayers subsidize illegal immigrants in 
the health care bill that we are considering this week.
  Rather than flout the will of the American people, the White House 
should heed their advice and enforce our Nation's immigration laws.

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