LANSING — State Rep. Beau LaFave, of Iron Mountain, has introduced a bill that creates the Sanctuary Policy Prohibition Act. It will outlaw local units of government from enacting ordinances that limit a local official, employee or police officer from communicating with federal officials regarding the immigration status of an individual.

“This bill is not a departure from common practice,” said Rep. LaFave. “Local officials who ignore the law and turn their communities into sanctuaries for illegal immigrants are endangering people and violating the public trust.”

Police officers should not be prohibited from checking for illegal immigration status in their current law enforcement routines.

LaFave said he believes Michigan’s local communities should never be safe havens for those who break the law and commit crimes, including the act of entering our country illegally, and that police officers should not be prohibited from checking for illegal immigration status in their current law enforcement routines.

“An overwhelming number of Americans believe that law enforcement officers who arrest illegal immigrants for crimes should be able to turn them over to federal authorities,” LaFave said. “This is a public safety issue and this legislation will help officers remove potentially dangerous and threatening criminals off our streets.”

House Bill 4334 has been referred the House Committee on Local Government.