Since coming to Congress, I have fought to support common-sense immigration policies that will enforce our laws and secure our borders. Immigration policy is an important issue facing our Nation, and I wanted to provide you with an update on the House’s work to ensure our laws are followed, criminals are brought to justice, and our borders are secured.

On May 29, 2017, the House passed H.R. 3003 and H.R. 3004 to send a message to any illegal aliens with a criminal past that they will no longer be afforded any safe havens in the United States.

H.R. 3003, the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act, would prevent select federal grant funding for cities that fail to cooperate with federal enforcement of immigration law. The federal laws on immigration must be enforced and providing a safe haven for individuals that break our laws cannot be accepted. Throughout the country, cities have affronted our federal immigration laws at taxpayer expense and we must hold them accountable for their actions.

Further, H.R. 3004 would increase the current maximum penalties for illegal aliens reentering the U.S. after being denied admission, excluded, deported, or removed on three or more prior occasions. This will serve as a deterrent to those previously expelled immigrants from coming back into our country and will ensure swift justice for those repeat offenders that seek to try their luck again. I am hopeful my colleagues in the Senate act swiftly to pass these commonsense proposals and send them to the president’s desk for signature.

Those who abuse our laws and bring havoc and pain to American cities and our citizens must be held accountable and brought to justice. These bills seek to ensure that happens. I remain committed to fixing our broken immigration system by securing our borders, enforcing our laws already on the books, and supporting legal immigration. I will continue to work with our House and Senate Leadership and President Trump on these important issues in the 115th Congress.

Sincerely,

Representative French Hill