State Rep. Cam Cavitt on Thursday testified before the House Government Operations Committee in support of his plan to prohibit the adoption of sanctuary policies by local and county governments. More than 20 Michigan communities with more than 5.5 million total residents have designated themselves as “sanctuary” or “welcoming” communities, which adopt policies that obstruct federal immigration enforcement.

Cavitt said sanctuary communities draw in illegal immigrants, including gang members, traffickers, and other violent criminals.

“Local officials just don’t realize how dangerous these sanctuary policies are for Michigan,” said Cavitt, R-Cheboygan. “To some extent, I get it. They want to help people. But what they don’t understand is that allowing people to live here illegally – putting up this false flag of protection – does nothing but keep people in the shadows and invite the worst criminals, gangbangers, and traffickers into our communities.”

In February, U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a member of the Tren de Aragua street gang in Sault Ste. Marie. In January, two illegal immigrants from Honduras were arrested in a sex crime sting. The men believed they were meeting a 15-year-old girl for sex at the time of their arrest. Another illegal immigrant was recently arrested for attempting to scam a Harrison woman selling her car on Facebook by attempting to pay with 36 fraudulent $100 bills.

“The feds are cracking down on illegal immigration, yet our local law enforcement continues to have regular interactions with illegal immigrants,” Cavitt said. “These criminals are scared and they’re looking for places to hide; sanctuary cities offer that protection. It should be no surprise that we’re seeing violent gangbangers, perverts, scammers, and all sorts of other criminals flocking to Michigan to hide from the feds. It’s embarrassing and disgraceful. We should be doing everything we can to get these criminals out of our country. Instead, some radical Michigan communities are bending over backward to obstruct immigration officials at every turn.”

The legislation – House Bills 4338, 4339, and 4342 – create the Sanctuary Policy Prohibition Act and County Law Enforcement Protection Act, respectively. The plan would prohibit municipalities from enforcing policies preventing local law enforcement from communicating or cooperating with federal immigration officials.

Within 60 days of the bills becoming law, a local or county government must ensure its policies do not violate state law. If they remain out of compliance, local governments could face legal actions and financial penalties.

“My plan ensures that no local government in Michigan can block communication or cooperation with federal immigration officials,” Cavitt said during committee testimony Thursday. “It promotes consistency, strengthens public safety, and upholds the rule of law. This bill does not force local officials to act as immigration agents, it simply prevents them from passing laws or policies that interfere with federal enforcement. Michigan deserves uniform standards and fair enforcement.”

The bills would also bar sanctuary communities from receiving statutory revenue-sharing payments.

The plan passed the House Oversight Committee and moves to the House floor for further consideration.

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