*Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2017 *

**Statement on House of Representatives Passage of Kate's Law and the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act **

*June 29, 2017 *

During my campaign, I met many grieving families who all had the same plea: lawmakers must put the safety of American families first. Today I applaud the House for passing two crucial measures to save and protect American lives. These were bills I campaigned on and that are vital to our public safety and national security. The first bill, Kate's Law, increases criminal penalties for illegal immigrants who repeatedly reenter the country illegally. The bill is named for Kate Steinle, who was killed by an illegal immigrant who had been deported five times. Every year, countless Americans are victimized, assaulted, and killed by illegal immigrants who have been deported multiple times. It is time for these tragedies to end.

The second bill, the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act, restricts taxpayer grant money to cities that prevent their police from turning over dangerous criminal aliens to Federal authorities. Sanctuary cities are releasing violent criminals, including members of the bloodthirsty MS–13 gang, back onto our streets every single day. Innocent Americans are suffering unthinkable violence as a result of these cities' reckless actions. The House bill also includes what is known as Grant's Law and Sarah's Law. These provisions, which prevent the release of dangerous criminals awaiting removal proceedings, are named for two slain Americans whose parents I spent time with during the campaign.

The implementation of these policies will make our communities safer. Opposing these bills, and allowing dangerous criminals back into our communities, our schools, and the neighborhoods where our children play, puts all of us at risk.

Now that the House has acted, I urged the Senate to take up these bills, pass them, and send them to my desk. I am calling on all lawmakers to vote for these bills and to save American lives.

NOTE: The statement referred to Juan Francisco Lopez Sanchez, who is accused in the murder of Kathryn Steinle in San Francisco, CA, on July 1, 2015; Steven Ronnebeck, Sandy Kemps, and Jill Kirkpatrick, parents of Grant Ronnebeck, who was killed in Mesa, AZ, on January 22, 2015; and Scott and Michelle Root, parents of Sarah Rae-Ann Root who was killed in Omaha, NE, on January 31, 2016. It also referred to H.R. 3004; and H.R. 3003.

*Categories:* Statements by the President : Kate's Law and the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act, House of Representatives passage*.*

*Names:* Kemps, Sandy; Kirkpatrick, Jill; Lopez Sanchez, Juan Francisco; Ronnebeck, Steven; Root, Michelle; Root, Scott*.*

*Subjects:* Immigration and naturalization : Illegal immigration; Immigration and naturalization : Reform; Law enforcement and crime : Illegal immigration, deportation of criminals; Legislation, proposed : Kate's Law; Legislation, proposed : No Sanctuary for Criminals Act.

*DCPD Number:* DCPD201700438.