A Michigan House committee is looking to stop local governments from becoming "sanctuary cities" that don't cooperate with immigration authorities.
The House Local Government Committee approved two bills that would ban local units of government from calling themselves sanctuary cities. It would also prohibit local governments from enacting laws that limit cooperation with federal officials.
Tense testimony was given in opposition, with concerns that the bills would lead to racial profiling and lawsuits against police. Republican state Rep. James Lower of Cedar Lake is chairman of the committee. He counters that many attorneys have looked at the bills and found that would not happen. Several amendments from Democrats on the committee were defeated.
The bills were approved 7-4 along party lines and now go to the full House.
