Conway blasts sanctuary cities after Kate Steinle murder trial verdict

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway promoted the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act on Friday in the wake of the verdict in the Kate Steinle murder trial, saying the law takes away federal funding from “sanctuary cities.” 

“The No Sanctuary for Criminals Act, basically tells our major sanctuary cities you’re not getting federal funding. You apply for DHS and DOH grants,” Conway said on “Fox and Friends,” referencing the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Health and Human Services.

{mosads}”And you know what you need to do as a threshold? Obey the law, already, and if you flout the law you’re not getting money. This strikes many Americans as common sense. It’s an outrageous verdict. We will not stop until … justice is served and until, until there is legislation on the books, federally that not just prevents this in the future, but also makes clear to these cities you better stop,” she continued. 

The House passed the measure, along with Kate’s Law, in June. 

A sanctuary city is one that does not help federal officials enforce immigration laws.

Conway’s comments come less than a day after Jose Ines Garcia Zarate was acquitted of the murder charge against him. 

Steinle was fatally shot by Zarate while walking the San Francisco waterfront in 2015. Zarate was residing in the U.S. illegally and had been deported to Mexico on five previous occasions at the time of the shooting.

Her death has been widely politicised, with conservatives using it as a reason to enact more stringent immigration laws. 

Attorney General Jeff Sessions blasted sanctuary cities in the after the verdict on Thursday.

“When jurisdictions choose to return criminal aliens to the streets rather than turning them over to federal immigration authorities, they put the public’s safety at risk,” Sessions said in a statement.

President Trump, who campaigned on stricter immigration laws, called Thursday’s verdict “disgraceful.” 

A disgraceful verdict in the Kate Steinle case! No wonder the people of our Country are so angry with Illegal Immigration.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2017