Assembly passes 'sanctuary cities' bill

MADISON — The Wisconsin Assembly has approved a bill prohibiting so-called sanctuary cities for immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.


The bill would bar local governments from prohibiting police from inquiring about immigration status or from working with federal immigration authorities. Communities with such policies could lose shared revenue of $500 to $5,000 each day of noncompliance.

The legislation has brought dozens of Latino immigrants to the Capitol to speak against the bill, calling it anti-immigrant.

The bill's authors say it aims to protect the state's residents, pointing to Racine, Milwaukee County and Madison as current sanctuary cities. Officials from those cities dispute that characterization.

The Assembly approved the bill 62-35 on Tuesday. It goes next to the Senate.