House Backs Bill To Punish Louisiana ‘Sanctuary Cities’ (Audio)
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A Denham Springs lawmaker's proposal to penalize jurisdictions that don't align with federal immigration law has passed the Louisiana House.
The proposal targets so-called "sanctuary cities" — those jurisdictions that don't enforce federal immigration law without a court order.
The state could bar violating cities from borrowing money for large construction projects, under the measure. The House voted 67-27 Wednesday to advance the bill for Senate consideration.
Republican Rep. Valarie Hodges said her bill is meant to protect Louisiana from policies that endanger local citizens by harboring criminals.
Opposing lawmakers questioned whether the measure would unfairly punish local municipalities like New Orleans while relieving federal authorities of responsibility.
Attorney General Jeff Landry supports the bill, but Gov. John Bel Edwards has raised concerns about it.
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