Norton Continues to Defend D.C. Immigrant Program From Congressional Interference

WASHINGTON, D.C.—As District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser today announced grant recipients under D.C.'s new Immigrant Justice Services Grant Program, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said she would continue to strongly defend the program from Republican attacks in Congress. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee (OGR) has launched an investigation of the program.

"The District of Columbia is committed to keeping our immigrant families from being torn apart, and our elected officials have demonstrated that they are not intimidated by over-the-top threats from Congress," Norton said. "I support the actions taken today by Mayor Bowser, and will keep fighting to protect our residents from undemocratic interference by overzealous Members of Congress."

In a January 25, 2017, letter to the mayor, OGR demanded that D.C. produce all documents related to the program, and asserted that the use of D.C. local funds for lawyers in removal proceedings "appears" to violate federal law. Under the federal Immigration and Nationality Act, no "Government" funds may be used for counsel to represent immigrants in removal proceedings. The OGR majority asserts that "Government" funds include both federal and local D.C. funds. However, the statute does not define the term "Government." The question of whether "Government" includes both the federal and District governments, or only the federal government, is a matter for the courts, not the committee.

The investigation is the second attack on D.C.'s immigrant community by Republicans in the last two years. Last Congress, Representative Louie Gohmert (R-TX) introduced a bill to prevent D.C. from being a sanctuary city, which did not become law. The bill would have required only the District, upon arrest of an individual, to provide the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) information necessary to determine the immigration status of the individual. If the individual were here illegally, DHS would be required to issue a detainer. Once detained, D.C. law enforcement would have then been required to hold an immigrant in custody for up to 48 hours. Any D.C. official who failed to do so would have been subject to a fine of up to $10,000. Moreover, if DHS failed to issue a detainer, no DHS political appointee could travel using a government aircraft, receive any non-essential training or receive a bonus or any salary increase.

"The Gohmert bill was so beyond the pale that it did not move in the House, nor should any immigrant bill that singles out the District of Columbia for unique sanctions," Norton said.