State Rep. John Roth on Thursday voiced his support for House Resolution 19 which would ban communities with sanctuary policies and those that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration officials from receiving additional state funding. The resolution – introduced by Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township – takes effect immediately and clearly outlines that no bill including funding for sanctuary communities will be brought to a vote in the House.

“Any community that refuses to cooperate with federal immigration officials should expect the same cold shoulder from state government come budget time,” said Roth, R-Interlochen. “The feds are trying to keep our communities safe, and these rogue cities are doing whatever they can to protect these violent criminals and let them right back out onto our streets. Speaker Hall took a stand today and made it clear that any community that prioritizes illegal immigrants over its own citizens will have their access to state funding cut off at the source.”

The new House resolution follows several federal initiatives, spearheaded by President Donald Trump and Border Czar Tom Homan, which prioritize the deportation of violent criminals.

President Trump also recently signed the Laken Riley Act, named after a Georgia nursing student who was killed by a Venezuelan alien, which mandates the federal detention of illegal immigrants who are accused of theft, burglary, assaulting a law enforcement officer, and any crime that causes death or serious bodily injury.

Michigan has not been immune to horrific acts of violence committed by illegal aliens. Last year, illegal immigrant murdered a 25-year-old woman in Grand Rapids. The illegal immigrant who pled guilty to the murder of Ruby Garcia in Grand Rapids had reentered the United States illegally after the Trump Administration deported him in 2020. Before his deportation, he had been arrested multiple times in Kent County. He was convicted of illegal entry into a residence, and he had an outstanding bench warrant in Grand Rapids for a 2020 case of suspected drunk driving and driving without a valid license.

The resolution does not prohibit the municipalities from receiving constitutionally required revenue sharing.

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