Central Wisconsin News

Wisconsin State Representative Tom Tiffany said that "taxpayer dollars should not" be used to "bail out sanctuary cities," and announced that the House passed H.R. 5717 to block federal funding for such cities benefiting "illegal aliens." Tiffany made his statement in a September 20 post on X.

"Taxpayer dollars should NOT bail out sanctuary cities," said Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wi). "Today the House passed H.R. 5717 to prevent sanctuary cities from receiving federal funding to benefit illegal aliens."

According to Congress.gov, the No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act would deny federal funds to states or local jurisdictions that use them to assist non-U.S. nationals unlawfully present if they withhold information about immigration status or fail to cooperate with immigration detainers. The bill targets areas with policies that restrict information sharing about immigration status or compliance with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) detainers. However, exceptions are made for victims or witnesses of crimes. The bill would take effect in the fiscal year following its enactment.

Rep. Tiffany's post | x

The term "sanctuary city" lacks a formal legal definition but has evolved in response to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies, generally describing communities that discourage local law enforcement from reporting individuals' immigration status unless serious crimes are involved. According to Global Refuge, sanctuary status extends beyond cities to include entire counties and states. These communities typically do not comply with ICE requests to detain undocumented immigrants arrested for minor offenses and often do not allow local officers to act as federal agents. There is no specific federal law prohibiting sanctuary city policies.

Tiffany, representing Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District, was elected in May 2020 during a special election. He grew up on a dairy farm near Elmwood, Wisconsin, and holds a degree in agricultural economics from the University of Wisconsin – River Falls. Before Congress, Tiffany served in the Wisconsin State Assembly and State Senate, focusing on tax reduction, job creation, and 2nd Amendment rights protection.