Lawmaker takes aim at illegal immigrant protesters on Capitol Hill
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rep. Steve King wants to give U.S. Capitol Police the authority to enforce federal immigration laws on Capitol Hill, where illegal immigrants have staged protests, demonstrations and sit-ins over the past few years in a bid to push lawmakers into passing bills that would give them with path to citizenship or legalization.
King, R-Iowa, is a staunch opponent of immigration reform that provides a pathway to citizenship for the millions of people who live here illegally, and he wants Capitol Police to have the power to arrest illegals.
"The Capitol Police, a federal law enforcement agency, do not have explicit statutory authority to enforce our immigration laws," King said in a statement. "Without clear authority they are not investigating the immigration status of protesters openly claiming they are here illegally while disrupting Committee proceedings and shutting down Congressional offices."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Capitol Police did not respond to a request for a comment on the proposal.