TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A House panel Wednesday began to advance a controversial ban on so-called sanctuary cities that would lead to tough penalties if local governments do not fully cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
The measure was approved by the House Civil Justice Subcommittee along party lines, giving momentum to a proposal that Republicans on the panel argue is necessary to ensure a crime like the 2015 killing of Kathryn Steinle in San Francisco does not happen in Florida.
The undocumented immigrant who shot Steinle had been deported several times and had recently been released from a county jail.
State Representative Cord Byrd is the bill sponsor.
"The bill does not target people based on their appearance. No one will be asked to provide their papers. Put simply, the only people that the law applies to are people who are in custody for committing a criminal violation against the laws of the state of Florida," said Byrd.
Despite the House passing a similar bill banning sanctuary cities for the past three years, Wednesday was the first time the chamber has heard the proposal this year.
