Washington D.C. – Today, the Senate rejected the motion to proceed on Senator David Vitter’s (R-LA) “Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act” (S. 2146). This bill is an enforcement-only approach to immigration and would punish cities and states that adopt community policing policies that work to make communities safer and increasecommunication between police and their residents. The procedural vote required 60 Yea votes to begin debate on the bill; the motion failed 54-45.
The following is a statement by Benjamin Johnson, Executive Director of the American Immigration Council:
“The Senate vote is a rejection of another flawed piece of legislation that was overwhelming opposed by faith, law enforcement and immigrant advocates around the country. It stands in stark contrast to the last piece of immigration legislation passed in June 2013, which followed a model of bipartisanship and that understood and addressed the need for comprehensive solutions to our outdated immigration system.
Clearly the components for success require that efforts be bipartisan and comprehensive. It’s time for Congress to end its politically-motivated and failed attempts at enforcement-only legislation and get back to work on passing meaningful reform that can, in fact, fix our outdated immigration system.”
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