One-third of state AGs defend Florida's ban on sanctuary cities

Following a federal judge's decision to halt the Florida legislature's ban on sanctuary cities, 17 state state attorneys general have come out in defense of the law, which was signed into law in 2019 by GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis.

DeSantis, at the time of signing the bill, said his goal was to keep Florida residents safe by upholding the rule of law and keeping sanctuary cities out of the state.

Ken Paxton (R), the attorney general of Texas, said earlier this week, "Sanctuary cities have become havens for illegal aliens and all the social, economic, and criminal costs that illegal immigration entails. The Florida law simply required local law enforcement officials to comply with federal immigration law."

Paxton was one of the 17 AGs who signed on to an amicus brief on behalf of Florida.

At least 12 states have established measures to ban cities from getting in the way of enforcing immigration proceedings against illegal immigrants. Close to 50% of the U.S. voter base see illegal immigration as a significant treat to the nation's security and interests over the next decade. 

The crisis at the U.S. border has surged during the presidency of Joe Biden, with numbers slated to go up over the next few months. Customs and Border Patrol encountered more than 1.5 million illegal aliens crossing the border during the 2021 fiscal year – a record figure that is expected to hit 2.3 million during fiscal 2022.