Legislation proposed by a lawmaker from Utah seeks to reduce funding for sanctuary cities that facilitate the transportation of undocumented migrants into areas without such designations.
Utah Republican Rep. Burgess Owens unveiled the Sanctuary City Oversight and Responsibility in Enforcement (SCORE) Act to the public on Friday, asserting that the bill would require sanctuary cities to take responsibility for the migrants they accept if enacted.
“If the current administration isn’t advocating for the safety, security, and rule of law in America, our Republican majority will,” Owens stated. “I’ve put forth a bill to eliminate taxpayer funding for the influx of migrants into our localities.”
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Immigrants wait to be processed by U.S. Border Patrol officers at the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas. (John Moore/Getty Images)
Owens shared a video on X, the social media platform, discussing the proposed law.
“My straightforward message to sanctuary cities is this — you embraced open borders and welcomed these migrants enthusiastically,” Owens remarked in the video. “Now that you’re inundated with their needs, you cannot offload these vulnerable individuals onto our neighborhoods.”
The SCORE Act aims to limit the use of FEMA Shelter and Services Program funding for transportation to other municipalities without prior consent from local officials.
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Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, participates in a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee meeting at the Rayburn Building in Washington, D.C. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
FEMA SSP funding is a federal program designed to provide financial support to recipients who assist migrants awaiting their court appearances.
For migrants being sent to a different location, there must also be a documented sponsor at their destination to ensure they won’t need government shelter.
The SCORE Act would mandate the Government Accountability Office to compile and present a quarterly report on the recipients of FEMA grants to verify compliance.
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Migrants walk along the highway through Suchiate, Chiapas state in southern Mexico as they make their way north toward the U.S. border. (AP Photo/Edgar H. Clemente)
Owens’ push for this legislation arose after officials in Denver issued over 1,500 tickets for illegal migrants traveling to Salt Lake City, Utah, without prior notification to local authorities.
“Sanctuary cities like Denver have been quietly dispatching migrants to non-sanctuary areas like Salt Lake City as the Biden-Harris open border policy stretches resources thin,” Owens remarked in his announcement video. “My new bill aims to cut off this funding and rectify the loophole that’s fueling this crisis in Utah.”
