LITTLE ROCK (KFSM) — A bill filed by an Arkansas representative would prohibit state universities and colleges from enacting sanctuary policies.
The bill was filed by Rep. Brandt Smith, R- District 58, Thursday (Dec. 8) ahead of the the 2017 legislative session, which begins Jan. 9.
According to HB 1042, a sanctuary policy is one that:
- limits a person employed by the school from communication and cooperating with federal agencies to verify or report the immigration status of a person on campus,
- grants illegal immigrants the right to lawful presence or status on campus,
- imposes conditions on the school’s cooperation or compliance with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to maintain custody of an immigrant,
- requires ICE to obtain a warrant or demonstrate probable cause before complying with requests from ICE to maintain custody of an immigrant,
- prevents law enforcement officers or campus security officers from asking a person about their citizenship or immigration status.
Any institution of higher education that does enact a sanctuary policy will be ineligible for money or grants from the state until the policy is repealed.
Another bill, filed by Sen. Gary Stubblefield, R-District 6, bans municipalities from enacting sanctuary policies.
