Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal used the Wednesday GOP debate on CNN to rail against mayors in America who allow sanctuary cities and crime by illegal immigrants.
Jindal, 11th on the Washington Examiner‘s power rankings, argued that mayors and council members who allow sanctuary cities should be prosecuted and put behind bars. The Louisiana governor made the remarks while discussing immigration and pushing back against former Sen. Rick Santorum on the issue.
“What I have always said is secure the border. I’ve said after that is done, the American people will deal with the folks pragmatically and compassionately,” Jindal said. “And Rick, if he wants to say that Sen. Rubio or Jeb [Bush] or others are for amnesty, that’s his right.”
“I’m not for amnesty. I’ve never been for amnesty, will never be for amnesty. Secure the border. We don’t need to do that as a comprehensive,” Jindal said. “But I’ve also said that we need to put an end to sanctuary cities. It’s not enough to defund them.”
“I think we need to criminalize, accuse and jail those mayors and councilmen as accessories to crimes committed by people who shouldn’t be here in the first place,” Jindal railed.
His comments came weeks after San Francisco was singled out by Republicans and even some Democrats for failing to follow federal immigration laws, which allowed an illegal immigrant with a criminal background to pick up a gun and kill a U.S. citizen.
Jindal was joined on stage by Santorum, former New York Gov. George Pataki and Sen. Lindsey Graham.
