Newark, Princeton and several N.J. counties could lose federal funds under the Senate Republican legislation
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senate Republicans failed Tuesday to get the 60 votes needed to move legislation threatening Newark, Princeton and other municipalities that seek to protect unauthorized immigrants living within their borders.
The Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act would cut off community development block grants, community policing grants and other federal funds to so-called "sanctuary cities" that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration officials, such as not detaining undocumented immigrants when asked to.
The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey said Newark, Princeton, and the counties of Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Morris, Ocean and Union all could have been affected under the Senate bill.
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The bill was blocked as 45 senators, including U.S. Sens. Robert Menendez and Cory Booker of New Jersey and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a Democratic presidential candidate, voted no.
It was supported by 54 senators, including two Republican presidential candidates, U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida, who both co-sponsored the legislation. A third GOP presidential candidate, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, did not vote.
Menendez, one of Congress' strongest supporters of President Obama's executive actions on immigration, called the bill the "Donald Trump Act," after the Republican presidential front-runner, who has called for deporting all 11 million unauthorized immigrants and said of Mexicans crossing the border, "They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists."
"We are witnessing the most overtly nativist and xenophobic campaign in modern U.S. history," Menendez said in a speech on the Senate floor. "That anti-immigrant rhetoric has made its way to the Senate floor courtesy of Donald Trump and some Republicans eager to capitalize on this rhetoric for their own political gain."
Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks declined to comment.
In floor remarks just before Menendez spoke, Cruz complained about municipalities that were "more than happy" to take federal funds but went "out of their way to obstruct and impede" federal immigration officials.
"It makes no sense to continue sending federal money to local governments that intentionally make it more difficult and costly for the federal government to do its job," Cruz said.
Proponents cited the case of Kate Steinle, who was shot to death by Francisco Sanchez, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico who had been repeatedly deported. Sanchez killed Steinle after San Francisco officials refused to honor a request to keep him in custody until federal authorities could pick him up.
Gov. Chris Christie, who also is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, has called on Congress to pass legislation named for Steinle that imposed a mandatory five-year prison sentence on those who re-enter the U.S. illegally after being deported. That provision was added to the Senate sanctuary cities bill.
Opponents of the bill said that protecting unauthorized immigrants was crucial to efforts to build trust between local police and residents, encouraging witnesses to crimes to come forward if they know they won't face deportation.
"Using federal purse strings to punish New Jersey localities that have policies upholding constitutional protections turns our democracy on its head," said Ari Rosmari, public policy director for the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey. "Localities that have adopted limited detainer request policies have done so to protect public safety, build trust with immigrant communities, and uphold the protections in the Constitution."
The House passed similar legislation, largely along party lines, in July. President Obama threatened to veto the measure.
Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.