Democrats shut down bills with procedural maneuvers
Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON D.C. Congress must prevent cities from harboring illegal aliens and it must hold this administration accountable for its failure if not its outright refusal to enforce federal immigration laws
said Sen. Ted Cruz as Senate Democrats last week blocked the Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act to

revoked federal grants provided to so-called sanctuary cities. The bill was one of two legislative reactions to the death of
Kate Steinle who was killed on a San Francisco pier by an illegal immigrant.
The legislation aimed at stopping violent crimes committed by illegal immigrants was meant to put pressure on cities and other governmental entities that refuse to comply with Homeland Security requests and encourage them to work with the federal government to detain illegal immigrants.

After Kate Steinles death San Francisco city officials defended their decision not to cooperate with federal authorities on deporting illegal immigrants.
While Republicans say those sorts of incidents show the government needs to put more pressure on sanctuary cities to follow federal guidance Democrats disagree and scuttled the bill in the Senate.
Republicans needing 60 votes to move the bill forward in the Senate fell short on a 53-44 vote.
Democrats also blocked a second related bill the Stop Illegal Reentry Act which would have required mandatory minimum sentences standards for those who have been deported then come back into the United States illegally and are later convicted of an aggravated felony.

The bill was named after Steinle and was introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). But Democrats disagreed and again shut down the bill in a procedural vote that failed to get 60 votes 55-42.
Democrats said the bill was anti-immigrant and would hurt local communities. Civil rights groups have lobbied Democrats to oppose the bills arguing they would damage the ability of police to build trust with immigrant communities.