Sep. 29, 2016
HARRISBURG – Legislation co-sponsored by Rep. Ryan Warner (R-Fayette/Westmoreland) that would establish legal and economic sanctions against any illegal alien “sanctuary city” within this Commonwealth (
House Bill 1885) has been approved by the PA House State Government Committee.
In January, Mayor Jim Kenney declared Philadelphia a “sanctuary city,” meaning it would not turn over illegal aliens to federal officials. The dangerous and irrevocable consequences of this reckless policy came to light in July, when Ramon Aguirre-Ochoa, an illegal alien who was released by Philadelphia police despite a federal detainer request from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), was charged with raping a child.
“Sanctuary cities fly in the face of the rule law and the security of every law-abiding Pennsylvania citizen,” said Warner. “It is absolutely inexcusable for these rogue elected officials and municipal employees to persist in their defiance of federal immigration laws without reaping the consequences for blatantly putting the lives of innocent Americans at risk.”
Specifically,
House Bill 1885 would hold any “sanctuary city” within the Commonwealth fully responsible for the damages to persons or property as a result of criminal activity by unauthorized, illegal aliens.
Also under this legislation, if a law enforcement officer of a municipality has reasonable cause to believe that an individual being arrested is not legally in the United States, he or she must immediately report the individual to the appropriate United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office within the Department of Homeland Security.
“Simply put, there should be no economic rewards, public benefits or employment privileges for any government entity or individual who is guilty of breaking our nation’s immigration laws,” said Warner. “Final passage of this legislation will send a clear message that protecting the economic and national security interests of law-abiding Pennsylvania citizens and legal immigrants must always come first.”
House Bill 1885 now advances to the full House for consideration. Visit
RepWarner.com and
Facebook.com/RepWarner for the latest legislative updates.
Representative Ryan Warner
52nd Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Ty McCauslin
717.772.9979
RepWarner.com /
Facebook.com/RepWarner