Following the shock verdict that the illegal immigrant who killed Kate Steinle was not guilty of murder, Sen. Ted Cruz has taken up the mantle of bringing “Kate’s Law” to the attention of Congress once again.
“If case law had been on the books, the person who pulled the trigger would’ve been in a federal prison cell instead of out there on that pier that night. And Kate Steinle would still be alive and with us today,” he said on Fox News after the verdict.
Kate’s Law would increase penalties for those who illegally re-enter the country after being removed. Garcia Zarate, who killed Steinle, had already been deported five times prior. For those caught re-entering or attempting to re-enter the country after being deported at least three times, the bill would impose a minimum five year sentence. If the illegal alien had previously been convicted for an aggravated felony, they could face up to 20 years.
Of course, the problem of sanctuary cities existing at all still exists, and for that, another Republican congressman is getting creative.
As the BizPacReview reported, “in what’s being called ‘one of the most aggressive pieces of legislation to date aimed at sanctuary city policies,’ Indiana Rep. Todd Rokita plans to introduce a bill today that would severely punish elected officials who shelter illegal immigrant criminals from federal officials. The punishments for such actions would range from large fines to even prison time for officials who ignore the law.”
More from the report: “Thus far, the Justice Department has merely threatened to withhold federal grants from jurisdictions that ignore federal law in this way, resulting in numerous court challenges. But this bill, called the ‘Stopping Lawless Actions of Politicians (SLAP) Act,’ would take the stakes to a whole different level with punishments from a $1 million fine to 5 years in prison if convicted.”
Such cities could certainly use a bit more than a “slap,” but this Act is a start. The Justice Department actually withholding funds from such cities would be the fatal blow, however – and you just need to take a look at how much federal funding the largest sanctuary cities receive to see why:
That’s enough money to pay for a border wall!
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