Ben Cline, Republican nominee for Virginia’s Sixth District, attended today’s White House event “A Salute to the Heros of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs Border Protection.”
Cline attended in his position as chairman of the Military, Police, and Public Safety Committee in the House of Delegates, and for his sponsorship of and advocacy for legislation to ban “Sanctuary Cities” in the Commonwealth.
The legislation was vetoed in 2017 by Governor McAuliffe and in 2018 by Governor Northam.
Cline released the following statement after the event.
“I am honored by the White House’s invitation to join President Trump at this important event. As Chairman of the Committee on Militia, Police and Public Safety, I understand the critical role that our men and women in law enforcement serve as they protect our borders and keep our communities safe. Every day, the men and women of I.C.E. and C.B.P. are on the front lines of the effort to stop illegal immigration in our country and the drug trafficking, child sex trafficking, gang and terrorist activity that accompany it. In addition, our local law enforcement and public safety officials in Virginia work tirelessly to protect our communities from these criminal elements who are often here illegally.
“During the 2017 and 2018 General Assembly sessions, I was proud to sponsor the bill banning Sanctuary Cities in Virginia. It is critical that our localities be prevented from interfering with the enforcement of our federal immigration laws. It was a disappointment when Governors McAuliffe and Northam vetoed those bills, especially considering Governor Northam promised Virginians he would sign such a bill if it reached his desk.
“What’s worse however is how the Democratic Party seems fixated on supporting those who are fighting to abolish ICE and encourage open borders. We cannot allow this to happen. If elected to Congress, I am committed to working with President Trump to build the border wall, end Sanctuary Cities, and strengthen the ability of ICE to enforce our laws. It’s a matter of public safety and upholding the rule of law—a foundational principle of our system of government.”
Cline will face Democrat Jennifer Lewis in the November general election.
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