Ohio lawmaker pushes bill to defund sanctuary cities, boost ICE cooperation

Ohio Lawmaker Proposes Bill to Punish Sanctuary Cities, Boost ICE Cooperation in Trump-Style Immigration Crackdown

A Republican lawmaker from Ohio has proposed a bill aimed at penalizing cities that are deemed "sanctuary jurisdictions" and bolstering cooperation between law enforcement agencies and federal authorities on immigration issues. The Protecting Ohio Communities Act, which House Bill 26 is expected to be referred to as, includes a provision for a 10% reduction in state funding for areas identified as sanctuary jurisdictions.

According to the proposed legislation, local governments that opt out of cooperating with federal immigration efforts will lose state funding. This move reflects President Donald Trump's administration's efforts to restrict access to public services and safety benefits for undocumented immigrants living in US cities.

Ohio State Rep. Josh Williams, a Republican running for U.S. House, is championing the bill as part of his campaign platform. He argues that sanctuary policies create a sense of lawlessness and undermine the ability of local law enforcement agencies to effectively carry out their duties.

Williams claims that if a city wants to defy federal immigration laws, it must be willing to accept reduced state funding. This approach is seen by some as an attempt to intimidate municipalities into complying with Trump's administration's stance on immigration policy.

Ohio Governor JB Pritzker has previously clashed with the White House over this issue, and Williams accused him of being out of touch with the concerns of average Americans. The Ohio State Rep. stated that law enforcement agencies must be able to rely on each other to keep communities safe.

just think about it, govnt is gonna punish cities for trying to protect ppl... what's wrong w/ that? they're basically saying if u don't play by the rules, u gotta lose some funding... and thats not just about immigration, its about how much power the feds & states are tryin to take from local govts... i dont agree w/ this approach tho, cities r meant 2 be havens for ppl in need... its a slippery slope...

I don't get why they're making a big deal about cities not wanting to work with ICE . I have friends who are undocumented and they just want the same opportunities as everyone else - a good job, healthcare for their families... it's not that hard, right? But no, instead of trying to find common ground, politicians are pitting communities against each other. It's just going to make things harder for people who already feel like they're living in fear . And what really gets me is that this bill is basically saying that if you don't play by the rules, you'll lose funding... it's not like we haven't seen this before in other areas of life where companies have to comply with certain regulations . Can't we just try to be reasonable and work together for once?

I think this bill is a bit extreme. Losing 10% of state funding might not be enough to scare people off from supporting sanctuary cities, especially if the funding isn't directly linked to specific services or programs. I also don't see how penalizing these cities affects the actual flow of undocumented immigrants. It's all about creating fear and tension, which isn't a very effective way to address immigration issues.

I'm curious to know what kind of community impact this would have on cities that pass sanctuary laws. Would they be able to afford the loss of funding, or would it disproportionately affect low-income families? More thought needs to go into how this bill would affect everyday people, not just politicians trying to score points in an election

omg I'm so worried about this sanctuary cities are just trying to protect their citizens from being deported, it's not like they're encouraging crime or anything! and can we talk about how unfair it is that some cities will lose funding if they don't cooperate with ICE? it sounds like a classic case of the haves vs the have-nots also, I love how Rep. Williams is trying to frame this as law enforcement being able to rely on each other, but isn't he forgetting that sometimes law enforcement needs to prioritize the safety and well-being of their community over federal demands?

Ugh , I just don't get why they gotta make a big deal about this sanctuary city thing... back in my day, we used to just kinda... not ask questions ... anyway, this Ohio Rep's bill is like, super harsh on cities that don't cooperate with ICE. It's like, okay dude, you're gonna lose funding? That's not exactly gonna make people wanna start asking questions about their immigration status .

And honestly, I kinda get where the governor and the other cities are coming from... it feels like they're just trying to protect people who might be in a tough spot . But at the same time, I can see how this could create more problems than it solves .

It's just... sometimes I feel like we're all so caught up in our own little worlds that we forget about the folks on the other side of the fence . Can't we just try to find a middle ground or something?

this bill is so I dont think ohio should punish cities for being welcoming especially when it comes to people seeking asylum the idea that they would lose funding just because they don't want to cooperate with ice is a bit scary and lets be real, this is not how we build trust between law enforcement and communities

another state trying to pass a bill that's basically just gonna hurt people who are already struggling, you know? like they're not even asking for much, just some basic human decency but noooo, they gotta go and punish cities for trying to help people in need it's like they think undocumented immigrants are the problem or something newsflash: immigration is a complex issue that needs nuanced solutions not just more drama & fear-mongering about "sanctuary cities"

OMG, have you seen this new bill in Ohio?! It's like something straight out of Trump's playbook! They're trying to punish cities that don't want to cooperate with ICE, which is just so unfair. I mean, can you imagine if your city took away funding from schools or hospitals because they didn't want to report undocumented immigrants? It's ridiculous!

And Josh Williams, the rep proposing this bill, is like "if you don't play by our rules, we'll take away your funding" - it's all about intimidation. I get that he wants to keep communities safe, but this isn't the way to do it. It's like they're treating local law enforcement like their own personal army or something.

It's also interesting that Ohio Governor JB Pritzker has been going against Trump on this issue - it'll be cool to see how this plays out in the next election

can we just talk about how this bill is gonna affect ppl living in ohio? like, i get it, immigration laws need to be followed, but punishing cities for trying to create a safer environment for everyone seems really unfair . what's next? will they start taking away funding from schools and hospitals too? it feels like politics are getting in the way of people's lives. shouldn't we just focus on keeping our communities safe without all this drama?

OMG, can u blv wut dis guy's bill is gonna do?! Like, punish cities 4 being all inclusive & stuff? That's just messed up! I get it, we gotta have some kinda immigration control, but harshing the mellow of sanctuary cities is just not cool. It's like, they're tryna penalize cities 4 trying 2 keep ppl safe & give 'em a break. And wut about the ppl who are just tryna live their best lives?

I mean, Josh Williams is all about this bill because he thinks it'll make his city safer or watever, but really it's jus an excuse 2 control ppl's lives. And Ohio Gov Pritzker's all like "nope" cuz he knows dat's not right either! This immigration thing's such a mess, we need 2 find some kinda middle ground.

omg i cant believe what Josh Williams is trying to do !!! like how can they just punish cities for trying to protect their citizens? thats not how you build a community! i'm all about keeping ohio safe and happy, but this bill sounds super unfair . whats next? taking away funding from schools or hospitals? that would be crazy! i feel like Josh is just trying to get attention as a republican candidate and it's not gonna work... his ppl are gonna see right through him

I'm not sure about this new bill in Ohio ... it sounds like a big ol' headache for cities trying to protect their residents. I mean, who wants to give up funding just because they don't want to cooperate with the feds? It's just gonna create more problems and stress for people already struggling.

And what about the people living in these sanctuary cities who are actually law-abiding citizens? Don't they deserve some protection and understanding? I know we need to keep our communities safe, but this approach seems really heavy-handed. It's like, can't we just have a more balanced discussion about immigration reform instead of pitting cities against each other?

I'm all for collaboration and cooperation between law enforcement agencies, but let's not forget that cities have a responsibility to their residents too . This bill seems like it's gonna lead to some nasty conflicts... I hope Ohio can find a better way forward

Ugh, I'm so done with this whole sanctuary city thing . Like, can't we just have a nuanced conversation about immigration without resorting to punishing cities for trying to create a safe space for everyone? . It's all about politics and power plays at the end of the day. And what really gets me is that Rep. Williams is using this as a way to get votes in his campaign, but it's not even a real solution to the problem . I mean, if we're going to make immigration reform happen, let's focus on finding common ground and working towards solutions that benefit everyone, not just punishing cities for trying to do the right thing . And can we please stop demonizing governors like JB Pritzker who are actually trying to protect their communities from this kind of draconian legislation?

so they're trying to punish cities for not playing along with trump's immigration policies? like, isn't that just another way to intimidate people and make them do what they want? it sounds like a power play to me, where they're basically saying "do what we say or lose funding" - no thanks. i mean, who gets to decide what's best for these cities anyway? shouldn't they be making their own decisions about how to address immigration issues? and what exactly does it even mean to be a "sanctuary city"? isn't that just code for "city is trying to be compassionate and fair"?

lol what's next? are they gonna start fining cities for not letting their homeless folks sleep in the streets too so if i own a business in ohio and i want to attract some decent ppl who aren't fugitives, i gotta pay more taxes because my city is a "sanctuary jurisdiction"... sounds like a total win for everyone except those undocumented immigrants... anyway, josh williams thinks he's tough by proposing this bill but really he's just trying to look good in front of trump guess what? ohio state rep who runs on a platform that includes punishing cities for not cooperating with ice is literally the definition of irony

I'm so worried about what's happening in our country . This bill sounds like it's going straight out of a bad movie where they're trying to control everything, including who gets to live here and how much they can use local services . I get that we need to enforce immigration laws, but punishing cities for not cooperating? That's just mean and it's gonna hurt real people, like families who are already struggling .

What really bothers me is the way this law would take away funding from communities that need it most. Our schools, hospitals, and roads should be funded by our tax dollars, not by our political agendas . And what about the police? Are they supposed to just turn a blind eye if someone comes in here without papers? That's not how law enforcement works .

We need to find a way to fix immigration problems that doesn't target vulnerable communities or take away their basic rights . This bill feels like it's more about politics than people, and that just doesn't sit right with me .

[Image of a donkey in a police uniform, with a thought bubble saying "I'm not sure this is gonna work"]
[Image of a US map with cities marked as "Sanctuary Jurisdictions" getting a big X marked through them]
[Image of Josh Williams giving a middle finger to the camera with a red "X" over his face]
[Image of JB Pritzker smiling and giving a thumbs up, with a speech bubble saying "I'm not going down without a fight"]
[ GIF of a police car chasing a donkey]

Honestly, I think this bill is super flawed. Like, what's next? Punishing cities for not having enough police officers? It's just gonna create more problems and hurt the people who need help the most. And let's be real, sanctuary cities aren't creating lawlessness, they're just giving a chance to undocumented folks who are already scared and vulnerable.

It's not about being out of touch with "average Americans", it's about respecting local governments' decisions and prioritizing community safety over some politician's agenda. And by the way, isn't it weird that politicians like Josh Williams are suddenly all about law enforcement cooperation when we've had plenty of examples of police brutality going on in our country?

This is super concerning - cities are basically being punished for not wanting to cooperate with ICE, which can lead to a lot of fear and anxiety among undocumented immigrants. I think it's wild that Ohio Rep. Josh Williams is using the funding reduction as a bargaining chip, like "if you don't play by our rules, we'll take away your state money". That feels super coercive And what's with the emphasis on law enforcement agencies being able to rely on each other? What about their duty to protect all residents, regardless of immigration status? This bill just seems like another way to further divide communities and perpetuate systemic inequality