WASHINGTON (Gray DC) – A team of House Democrats is reintroducing legislation aimed at ending a federal program that allows state and local law enforcement to participate in federal immigration enforcement.
The “PROTECT Immigration Act” is being reintroduced by House Democrats ahead of the new year. The bill targets the 287(g) program that allows the federal government to deputize local law enforcement for immigration enforcement purposes.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said the program undermines police-community relationships.
“When immigrants and their US citizen loved ones have to live in fear of being abducted off the street and deported, they stop calling the police,” Jayapal said.
Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), who has championed the bill since 2017, said the legislation aims to protect relationships between local law enforcement and communities.
“The legislation we are announcing today aims to protect the relationship between local law enforcement and the communities they serve,” Quigley said.
Supporters of the PROTECT Act say the rise in departments signing on to the 287(g) program has led to resources stretched thin and a break in trust between police and communities. They argue this could result in more unreported crime.
Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.) said Congress needs to act.
“This lawless behavior cannot continue to go unchecked by Congress,” McBride said.
The Trump administration has made closing the border and increasing deportations a top priority. President Donald Trump has praised immigration enforcement efforts as a way to make America safer.
“We’re deporting criminals, restoring safety to our most dangerous cities,” Trump said.
Trump also said legislative action was not needed for border enforcement.
“Do you remember when Joe Biden said that he needed Congress to pass legislation to help close the border? We didn’t need legislation. We just needed a new president,” Trump said.
The bill is unlikely to pass in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. If enacted, it would not ban local and state law enforcement from working with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement or other federal agencies, but would remove the 287(g) method that Democrats say is being abused.
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