House GOP Bill Targets Federal Funding for Los Angeles and Sanctuary Cities to Restrict ICE Operations

A new legislative push from House Republicans aims to crack down on sanctuary cities by tying their federal funding to compliance with federal immigration authorities. The initiative, unveiled Tuesday, would directly impact major urban centers such as Los Angeles, which have long resisted cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through local policies that limit collaboration.

Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., who is introducing the Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act in the House, emphasized the urgency of the legislation, pointing to the tragic consequences that he says have resulted from current sanctuary city policies. "We've had far too many instances where we have seen someone lose their lives at the hands of someone that's in this country illegally," Langworthy said, stressing that the time has come for stronger enforcement measures. "These sanctuary cities have gone out of their way to ignore federal law for far too long. And it's time that we get serious and we put teeth to things."

The proposed bill would give the executive branch new authority to withhold federal funds from states, cities, or other local jurisdictions that refuse to comply with ICE requests. In addition, the legislation would empower state and local law enforcement officers to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, even in cases where local regulations currently prohibit such actions.

This effort mirrors a Senate companion bill sponsored by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, demonstrating a coordinated push among Republicans in both chambers to address the contentious issue. The debate over sanctuary city policies has intensified following a weekend marked by violence in Los Angeles, where anti-ICE protests escalated into clashes with authorities and damage to public property.

Langworthy highlighted challenges facing law enforcement in his own district as a result of New York's "Green Light Law." According to the congressman, the law not only permits undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses, but also blocks the sharing of state Department of Motor Vehicles data with federal agencies. "That really got my attention when I met with ICE at the beginning of the year," he explained. Federal agents in Buffalo, he said, described the law as the single greatest obstacle to their ability to do their jobs effectively.

Describing routine traffic stops, Langworthy noted, "They think they know who's in the car, but they can't run the tags because they're New York tags, and they're taking their lives into their own hands on every single apprehension request." Such barriers, he argued, put officers and communities at risk, further intensifying calls for federal intervention.

The latest Republican effort comes amid sharp political disagreements over how best to address immigration enforcement and the recent unrest in Los Angeles. Democratic officials have criticized the use of the National Guard at President Donald Trump's direction, while Republicans have accused local leaders of failing to support federal authorities during the protests.

Langworthy expressed hope that the violence experienced in Los Angeles would not spread to other liberal cities like New York, adding, "I think the president setting the tone very early on, this will not be tolerated. We will federalize the National Guard and maintain law and order in the streets of our country." He concluded with a warning: "Hopefully that is heard loud and clear across the country by anyone that looks to bring unrest to our streets and disrupt civil society."