Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) has introduced “The Safer D.C. Act” in an effort to end sanctuary city policies in the District of Columbia.

District police are being prohibited from protecting citizens from violent, illegal aliens, Gohmert says:

“In the wake of the tragic murder of San Francisco resident, Kate Steinle, by a five-time deported illegal criminal alien, it is important to realize that the District of Columbia is in fact also a sanctuary city like San Francisco. Subsequently, when District police arrest individuals lacking paperwork or information regarding citizenship or immigration status they are prohibited from both investigating immigration matters and also contacting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).”

Gohmert says his bill would require D.C. police to report alien arrests to DHS and enable them to detain individuals they arrest who are in the U.S. illegally:

“The Safer D.C. Act would ensure that when the District of Columbia arrests an individual it is required to provide information to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) so it can determine the citizenship or immigration status of that individual. Once DHS determines than the alien is inadmissible or deportable, DHS is required to issue a detainer directing the District of Columbia to hold the alien and then take the alien into federal custody after the conclusion of any legal proceeding under DC law.”

D.C. officials who refuse to follow the new law would be hit with fines of up to $10,000 per violation.

Congress has both the Constitutional authority and the responsibility to ensure to stop the nation’s capital from harboring illegal aliens, Gohmert says:

“Protecting Americans from the violence of criminals illegally in the country should be a top priority. This administration has been so intentionally and recklessly dysfunctional in protecting our country that in fiscal year 2014, 36.7% of all federal sentences were for crimes by people who are not even legally in the country.

It is time to start taking action to ensure innocent, precious lives are not lost due to indolent, outlawed and politically motivated oversight. The Constitution explicitly vests Congress with exclusive jurisdiction over the District of Columbia –and we should take action. Therefore, at the very least, Congress must use our explicit Constitutional power to ensure that at least the District of Columbia is not a sanctuary city.”