SENATE DEMS BLOCK BILL TO PUNISH ‘SANCTUARY CITIES’

Senate Democrats blocked a bill Tuesday that would have punished “sanctuary cities” that protect undocumented immigrants from being turned over to federal agents to face deportation.

Senators voted 54-45 to ad- vance the legislation, falling six votes short of the 60 needed.

The bill, offered by Sen. David Vitter, R-La., would have cut off law enforcement grants to more than 300 cities, counties and states with sanctuary policies. The legislation also would have stripped them of community development block grants, which are used to provide housing to low-income and moderate-income families and to aid in recovery from natural disasters.

— Erin Kelly