Civil and Human Rights Coalition Applauds Senate Rejection of “Stop Sanctuary Cities” Bill

WASHINGTON – Nancy Zirkin, executive vice president for policy at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement after the Senate’s vote to reject  Sen. David Vitter’s “Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act” (S. 2146). Yesterday, The Leadership Conference sent a letter to the entire Senate, urging it to oppose the bill.

“Senator Vitter’s ‘Stop Sanctuary Cities’ bill was a dangerous political stunt.

Faced with a Congress that has failed to pass comprehensive immigration reform, communities across the country have been left to contend with constitutionally questionable immigration enforcement practices. In an effort to uphold the Fourth Amendment and to foster better community policing, hundreds of localities have determined they cannot comply with ‘detainer’ requests from the Department of Homeland Security – something the department already understands and is trying to address. This bill would unwisely and unnecessarily penalize these communities by branding them ‘sanctuary cities’ and taking away millions of dollars in federal law enforcement funding. Additionally, Senator Vitter’s bill creates new mandatory minimum sentences that would needlessly lock up thousands of non-violent offenders at taxpayers’ expense.

This bill is an extreme proposal that offers no solutions to our immigration crisis, curtails effective policing, and jeopardizes the good will forged in communities between local police and residents. We applaud the Senate’s rejection of this legislation and urge it to pass the comprehensive, bipartisan immigration reform that our country needs.”

Nancy Zirkin is executive vice president for policy at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org. 

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