WASHINGTON, June 15 (UPI) -- The House amended the Homeland Security funding bill Friday to withhold emergency aid from U.S. "sanctuary cities" that shelter illegal immigrants.
The 234-189 majority was a victory for U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., who has failed to win passage for similar measures seven times, The Rocky Mountain News reported. Fifty Democrats voted for the amendment.
"The issue has come to fruition," Tancredo told the newspaper immediately after the vote. "The people of the country really have spoken. It's a really good indicator of just how much closer to the people the House is than the Senate is."
Senate leaders have said debate on immigration reform will resume next week.
Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., didn't elaborate on the deal they struck to revive debate but said ongoing debate on an energy bill would take up the next few days. Reid pulled the bill last week when Republicans blocked efforts to advance the bill to a vote.
That means the Senate can consider more amendments, including one that would use penalties paid by illegal immigrants to fund border security, The New York Times reported.
