1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I am writing in opposition to H.R. 5717, the No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act. This bill could deny states and localities across the country billions of dollars in federal funding for critical services that protect the health and safety of all residents. It would impose new penalties on state and city governments, forcing them to choose between abandoning policies that protect their constituents or losing funding for a vast array of essential programs.  This bill would block the distribution of federal funds to a potentially large number of cities and states that have elected to limit local officials’ role in federal immigration enforcement, though it is not clear how this law would be implemented. While undocumented immigrants are ineligible for the major federal public benefit programs, states and localities receive funding for essential services that benefit all residents.  States and local governments often choose to limit their role in immigration enforcement in order to meet critical goals and priorities of their residents. Limiting entanglement with federal immigration enforcement conserves local resources and avoids a deterioration of trust in public institutions, like public schools, that results from local law enforcement working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Such collaboration is associated with housing instability, chronic student absenteeism, low birth weight, negative child well-being outcomes, and decreased use of preventive and prenatal care for immigrant communities and their children. Further, many jurisdictions wish to limit deportations given the negative impacts on family stability, child well-being, and trust of authorities. Research demonstrates that protective policies offer the benefit of enhanced community trust in public institutions, including hospitals and health centers, without causing any increase in crime. H.R.5717 would arbitrarily deprive funding for states, localities, and their residents simply for undertaking reasonable policy measures that aim to enhance public safety and community well-being.  I urge you to reject this extreme legislation and any other attempts to infringe on the rights of cities and states to support their immigrant communities.