Few House Democrats Join Republicans in Pushing Crackdown on Sanctuary Cities
House Republicans pass two bipartisan bills targeting sanctuary cities, highlighting ongoing political focus on illegal immigration.
This week, the House of Representatives took significant steps aimed at tightening federal policy on sanctuary cities, as lawmakers passed two bills targeting local jurisdictions that do not fully cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. Notably, both measures received bipartisan support, as several Democrats broke ranks to join with Republicans in favor of stricter immigration controls.
On Thursday, House members voted 211 to 199 in favor of legislation mandating the relocation of Small Business Administration (SBA) offices out of areas officially designated as sanctuary jurisdictions. Under this proposal, if an administration publicly identifies a local, district, or regional SBA office as situated within a sanctuary city, the office would be required to move to another community. Five Democrats voted alongside the GOP: Henry Cuellar (TX), Laura Gillen (NY), Don Davis (NC), Jared Golden (ME), and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA). This came despite public opposition from Democratic leadership, who urged their caucus to stand against the bill.
House Republican leaders framed the bill as a direct response to what they describe as "lawlessness" in sanctuary jurisdictions. "House Republicans are holding these cities accountable for their refusal to follow immigration law and protect their citizens," emphasized House Majority Whip Tom Emmer. He asserted that federal resources should be reserved for communities that uphold federal immigration law, drawing a sharp contrast with sanctuary policies.
The House followed up on Friday by passing a second, related bill to prohibit undocumented immigrants from receiving SBA loans. This measure also garnered notable Democratic backing; eight Democrats joined Republicans in supporting this legislative effort, including Perez, Cuellar, Gillen, Davis, Tom Suozzi (NY), Josh Harder (CA), Marcy Kaptur (OH), and Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI). Unlike the first bill, House Democratic leaders did not provide explicit guidance on voting for this measure, allowing for broader bipartisan consensus.
Supporters within the Trump administration were quick to highlight the cross-party unity, positioning the bills as a crackdown on what they see as endangerment of American citizens by sanctuary cities. SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler described the actions as necessary to put an end to "the illegal invasion of our nation," crediting the bipartisan group of lawmakers for standing behind the administration's agenda. She argued that moving SBA offices would ensure they are located in "safer, more accessible communities that comply with federal law."
The advancement of these bills underscores the powerful political resonance of illegal immigration as an issue, one that has played an influential role in recent Republican victories at the federal level. The legislation—authored by Rep. Brad Finstad (MN) and Rep. Beth Van Duyne (TX)—was touted as a signal of ongoing efforts to reshape how federal agencies interact with cities and states that diverge from Washington’s immigration priorities. As debate continues in Congress and beyond, the question of sanctuary cities looks set to remain a highly charged and defining feature of the national political landscape.
