COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — There was a flurry of executive orders from President Donald Trump on immigration, and now Ohio lawmakers are also getting to work on the issue. 

Rep. Josh Williams (R-Sylvania) reintroduced a bill from late last year – House Bill 26, also known as the Protecting Ohio Communities Act. 

The bill requires state and local authorities to “cooperate with the federal government in the enforcement of immigration laws” and imposes a monetary penalty for noncompliance. 

“Anyone that provides sanctuary to them is violating federal law and any city or government within the state of Ohio that is providing sanctuary to these individuals who are here illegally, you are going to risk losing state funding, period,” he said. “If you want to mess around and find out, that’s on you.”  

If a local government does not comply with the legislation, it stands to lose 10% of local government funding distributed by state lawmakers. Williams said he landed at that number because it had to be enough to make it a deterrent.  

“Why would we ever just continue to give you money if you’re not going to do what the state of Ohio says you should be doing,” he said.  

Williams said this aims to stop Ohio cities from becoming “sanctuary cities,” which limit or refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. He believes “most actors” will comply with the law, if it is enacted, and said legal residents have nothing to worry about. 

Williams specifically took aim at Cleveland and Columbus, and said even after Trump’s executive orders, he does not see them getting on board.  

In a statement, a spokesperson for the City of Columbus said that Mayor Andrew Ginther “has been clear” that the city complies with state and federal laws, and that people will be held accountable for committing a crime.  

“The city’s participation in immigration investigations is limited to situations where there’s been a crime – there’s a warrant, a criminal violation was reported, or there has been an arrest,” a Columbus spokesperson wrote. “We interpret this policy to be in compliance with all state and federal requirements. It’s not a productive exercise to speculate at future policy changes. Today, our policy remains our policy –and our policy is in compliance with state and federal law.” 

Williams said an illegal or undocumented immigrant’s presence in Ohio “in itself is a crime.”    

As far as the City of Cleveland, spokesperson Tyler Sinclair said the city will “continue to aggressively pursue arrests and enforcement actions against anyone who commits violent crimes…regardless of their immigration status.” Sinclair said the city will continue to “cooperate with federal partners that have this same goal in mind of combatting violence.”

Sinclair pointed out a statement from Mayor Justin Bibb earlier this week, where he said his administration “will not engage in the deportation of individuals who have not committed violent crimes.” 

“It’s important to point out that we will not be doing the federal government’s job for them,” Sinclair wrote. “We do not ask the federal government to issue speeding tickets or fill potholes, nor should the federal government ask us to administer Social Security or – in this case – enforce general federal immigration law. “ 

Williams said not only is it a crime of undocumented immigrants to be in Ohio but said “a lot of them have committed additional crimes in our community.” 

“There, unfortunately, has been an intentional conflation between violent crimes and immigration status,” Sinclair said. “Threatening to pull key funds that our community relies on – a majority of which goes to our public safety forces – goes beyond a political game as it would have dire consequences for our residents and others across the state.” 

Why is it necessary if the federal government has its own policies? Williams said it is an extra layer of protection.

“Because the federal constitution has a clause that is anti-commandeering, Donald Trump cannot force states to comply, but we have the authority as the legislature to make sure that our state complies and cooperates with federal enforcement efforts,” Williams said. “It’s not a question of whether or not the federal government is motivated. It’s whether or not our mayors, our county officials, our city council members, our trustees are going to be motivated to assist in that endeavor here in the state of Ohio.” 

But Chief Lobbyist of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio Gary Daniels said this bill is not necessary for immigration officers to do their jobs. 

“The federal government, ICE, whomever can still come in, they can still conduct workplace raids, they can still go knocking on people’s doors, they can do all those enforcement actions that they always do,” Daniels said. “The question is, do local governments, does local law enforcement have to participate? No, they do not and that has been, you know, the way for this for a long, long time.”  

Daniels said House Bill 26 “unfairly places a variety of burdens on local government” and puts local law enforcement, not typically trained to deal with immigration issues, in a tricky spot. 

“Not only are they liable financially for violations of constitutional rights, but they’re going to have to come up with the money for everything else they need to do,” he said. “It puts local governments in a very difficult spot because their funding is being sometimes dramatically affected either way, whether they comply or whether they do not.” 

Williams said enforcement will not just be by hearsay within local communities. 

“They’re going to have to affirmatively state to the attorney general that they don’t have these policies on the books,” he said. “There’s going to be a mechanism for people to be able to raise concerns and open investigations into whether or not these cities have these policies and eventually, we’re going to get to the bottom of it. If you lie and we find out later on that you did have these policies, you are going to be at risk of losing substantial dollars.” 

The bill was just introduced, but Williams said he is hopeful it can pass in time to decide whether some cities lose funding before the state budget passes this spring or summer.