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Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-Solana Beach, and a group of lawmakers introduced a bill Tuesday that would attempt to discourage local governments from adopting ordinances protecting illegal immigrants and would make entering the country illegally a felony.
The bill, House Resolution 3531, would withhold up to 50 percent of federal anti-terrorism funding for local governments that declare themselves so-called sanctuary cities. At least 20 cities in the state and others around the country have adopted the largely symbolic sanctuary policy, but some cities, such as San Francisco, forbid police from asking people's immigration status.
Those policies help encourage immigrants to come forward about crimes, immigrant rights advocates say.
Bilbray said cooperation in homeland security is a two-way street, adding that cities that help protect illegal immigrants would lose some funding from the federal government to fight terrorists.
"You just can't continue to send the wrong message to illegal immigrants and then ask the federal government for funds to fight terrorism," Bilbray said.
Angela Kelley, director of the Immigration Policy Center, a left-of-center policy immigration research organization based in Washington, said the proposal has little chance of becoming law because Democrats hold the majority in Congress.
Moreover, she said, it would not keep illegal immigrants from coming or persuade those already here to leave.
"This is just putting out a press release and getting some media attention," Kelley said.
Kelley said immigration policies that focus on enforcement have not worked.
"The last 15 years, we've seen the largest expansion of the Border Patrol and (the immigration enforcement) budget ... and still they come," she said. "I don't think they can say, 'We haven't been tough enough.' "
Under current law, coming into the country is considered a civil offense. Bilbray said making illegal immigration a felony would reflect the seriousness of the crime.
"It reflects the reality of what happens," he said. "When someone comes in the country, they need false documents to work. Using false documents is a felony. ... Coming into the country illegally is the first step in the process of a felony situation."
The bill also would:
· allocate $1 billion a year to fund states and local governments incarcerating criminal illegal immigrants;
· require annual immigration status checks for airport employees;
· state that state law enforcement agencies have the authority to investigate, arrest and detain illegal immigrants.
-- Contact staff writer Edward Sifuentes at (760) 740-3511 or esifuentes@nctimes.com.
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