Attorney General Loretta Lynch stumbled in a House hearing on Tuesday when she was asked what she’s doing to enforce a federal law against so-called “sanctuary cities,” but had no answer.
“There’s a law on the books that … prohibits sanctuary cities,” Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, asked Lynch at a House Judiciary Committee hearing. “What are you doing to enforce that law?”
“I believe the designation of a sanctuary city is something that’s within the purview of…” Lynch started, but was quickly interrupted by Smith.
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“No, it’s actually in an act I introduced that became law in 1996,” he said.
Smith was referring to the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. Among other things, that law said sanctuary cities have to maintain information on immigration status.
The bill was meant to put an end to the practice in some sanctuary cities of not asking criminals about their immigration status, in an effort to help provide a sanctuary to illegal immigrants from federal authorities.
Some have argued that Smith’s law is narrow in scope and doesn’t completely outlaw sanctuary cities. Regardless, Smith demanded that Lynch provide an update on how it’s being enforced.
“There’s clearly a law in existence that prohibits jurisdictions from refusing to cooperate with the federal government when it comes to detaining criminal aliens, criminal immigrants,” Smith said. “What are you doing to enforce that law?”
“Well, where we have a situation where that situation occurs, we certainly will talk with that jurisdiction,” Lynch replied. “We would reach directly in and enforce the criminal laws against the individuals themselves.”
“But you’re not doing so,” Smith shot back. “Give me one example where you have enforced current law that prohibits jurisdictions from claiming sanctuary status.”
Lynch indicated that she had no information at hand, and asked for more time. “Well, what I’d like to do, sir, is study that issue and provide information to you on that point,” she said.
“I would hope that you’d have more knowledge about enforcing immigration laws than that, but I will await your report as to what you have done,” Smith said.
