WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul introduced legislation that would prevent “sanctuary cities” from harboring violent and dangerous criminal aliens, known as the Protecting American Citizens Together Act (PACT Act). The PACT Act would require state and local law enforcement to notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following the arrest of an illegal immigrant and detain an illegal immigrant if requested to do so by ICE. Additionally, if the Bureau of Prisons receives a request from ICE to transfer an illegal immigrant to their custody, that request will take priority over the request from state and local agencies. Under this legislation, localities will be required to follow the new requirements as a condition of receiving federal law enforcement grants.
“Our nation now has whole cities and states who stand up and willingly defy federal immigration laws in order to protect illegal immigrants who have broken our nation’s laws. This must end and it must end now. My bill makes it clear, the American people will not stand for cities harboring violent criminals,” Sen. Paul said.
Click HERE to read the PACT Act in its entirety.