Imagine losing a loved one in a terrible crime or accident only to learn the perpetrator responsible could have been imprisoned or deported had local law enforcement officials reported the illegal alien to ICE for previous offenses?

Countless Americans have been, or have had loved ones who were, the victim of crimes by illegal aliens. It’s why my organization, Californians for Population Stabilization (CAPS), has been outspoken in our opposition to sanctuary policies that shield criminal illegal aliens from federal law enforcement officials.

Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC) and Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-AL) introduced H.R. 3964, The Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act, a bill that would give victims of crimes by illegal aliens the right to sue sanctuary jurisdictions for damages. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced a corresponding bill in the Senate, S. 2059, earlier this month. CAPS praised the legislation as a common sense bill that gives victims of crimes committed by illegal aliens recourse to seek damages from jurisdictions who give sanctuary to illegal aliens; and are urging our supporters to tell their members of Congress to pass the Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act!

Sanctuary policies are willful negligence and it has to stop.

The proposed legislation also contains an enforcement mechanism that would withhold federal block grant money from jurisdictions which refuse victims their right to sue for damages.

Despite what you may hear in the media — illegal aliens are responsible for a disproportionate amount of violent crime in the U.S. The reporting discrepancy is in part due to the fact that crime statistics for illegal aliens are often not properly reported, while prisoner data is.

Many of these victims learn their perpetrator was not only in the country illegally, but had been previously apprehended by local law enforcement in a jurisdiction which refused to report offenders to federal immigration authorities. These families have had their lives destroyed by criminal illegal aliens benefitting from sanctuary policies. The least we can do is allow them to seek civil justice in the courts.