WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins’ (R-LA) legislation H.R. 2056, the District of Columbia Federal Immigration Compliance Act, passed the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee today.
For years, D.C.’s Council has enacted multiple laws that prohibit its employees from cooperating with federal immigration agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In 2020, D.C. enacted the Sanctuary Values Amendment Act, which prevents D.C. from learning about the immigration status of someone in custody and prevents the release of an individual for the purpose of transferring them to a federal immigration agency.
H.R. 2056 removes D.C.’s sanctuary laws and requires compliance with lawful detainer requests from ICE and the Department of Homeland Security.
“Sanctuary policies have devastating real-life consequences,” said Congressman Higgins. “As our nation’s capital, Washington D.C. should be the safest, most ‘America First’ city in the United States, and Congress has the Constitutional authority to end the city’s sanctuary status. My bill is a small step towards returning Washington DC to We, the People.”
Read the legislation here.
Watch Congressman Higgins speech on H.R. 2056 here.
