U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer has signed on as a supporter of the Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act, an act that denies federal funding for any city or state that provide havens for illegal immigrants in violation of federal immigration laws.

“Sanctuary cities encourage illegal immigration and undermine federal law enforcement efforts, and since our government is based on rule of law, it is my duty as an elected official to ensure these laws are enforced,” Luetkemeyer said. “At a time of increasing deficits and a troubling national debt, we should not be rewarding cities who break our laws by turning a blind eye to illegal immigration.”

Currently, the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) reimburses localities for a portion of the costs that they acquire in the apprehension of illegal immigrants but many localities have become safe-havens for illegal immigrants simply because they do not maintain policies that are supportive to the enforcement of federal immigration laws.

The Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act says that if cities believe they are above enforcing federal immigration laws, then they should not be entitled to receive SCAAP funding to reimburse a portion of the costs they incur for incarcerating undocumented criminal aliens.

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