A bill aimed at tightening restrictions on sanctuary cities passed in the House this week, surprisingly garnering support from some Democrats.
On Thursday, the House approved legislation that would withdraw Small Business Administration (SBA) services from jurisdictions that do not cooperate with immigration laws. The vote ended with 211 in favor and 199 against, with five Democrats siding with the Republicans: Henry Cuellar from Texas, Laura Gillen from New York, Don Davis from North Carolina, Jared Golden from Maine, and Marie Grusenkamp Perez.
This occurred despite Democratic leaders urging their members to vote against the proposed law. Under this bill, local SBA offices would be required to relocate if their jurisdictions are designated as sanctuaries for illegal immigrants.
Tom Emmer, a Republican Whip from Minnesota, criticized these cities for allegedly endangering their citizens by not enforcing immigration laws. He remarked that the federal government will not allocate resources to places prioritizing illegal immigrants over Americans.
Additionally, a second piece of legislation passed on Friday would explicitly prohibit Americans from accessing SBA loans if they’re connected to illegal immigration. Eight Democrats supported this measure, including Perez, Cuellar, Gillen, and Davis, along with others from New York, California, Ohio, and Michigan.
Notably, House Democratic leaders seemed to lack a coordinated message on how to approach the vote. This situation underscores the ongoing political significance of illegal immigration, which has proven to be a pivotal issue for Republicans in recent elections.
The first bill was put forward by Rep. Brad Finstad, a Republican from Minnesota, while the second was introduced by Rep. Beth Van Duyne, a Republican from Texas.
