Hinds Today

U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi has recently announced her support for two legislative proposals designed to halt federal funding for sanctuary cities and jurisdictions that impede the enforcement of immigration laws. As a member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, Hyde-Smith is an original cosponsor of the No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act (S.707), which was introduced by Senator James Risch from Idaho, along with the Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act (S.685).

Hyde-Smith expressed her concerns, stating, "Folks in Mississippi and around the country are baffled by cities and states that aid and abet illegal immigration, and they’re right to question why their taxpayer dollars are being used to prop up these so-called sanctuary cities." She emphasized that Risch’s bill aims to terminate federal financial support for jurisdictions that disregard immigration and border laws.

Senator Risch also commented on the issue, saying, "Sanctuary cities abuse taxpayer dollars and fuel the illegal immigration crisis." He highlighted that his proposed legislation seeks to prevent these jurisdictions from utilizing federal funds to provide direct assistance to illegal immigrants.

The No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act (S.707) is consistent with former President Trump's Executive Order on Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders. This order restricts federal agencies from offering taxpayer-funded services to illegal immigrants. The bill intends to block sanctuary jurisdictions from receiving federal funds specifically designated for illegal immigrants. It defines a “sanctuary jurisdiction” as any government entity that refuses to share information about an individual’s citizenship status with authorities.

Since joining the Senate in 2018, Hyde-Smith has been a cosponsor of the Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act. Introduced this year by Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, S.685 aims to deny certain federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions that have policies obstructing U.S. immigration law enforcement or ignoring detention requests for criminal aliens sought by federal authorities.

Both legislative measures have been sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee for further consideration.