California lawmaker's mic cut off while reading bill to end sanctuary state laws, says Dems 'don't care'
A California lawmaker who tried to force a vote Tuesday on a bill that would have ended sanctuary protections for illegal immigrants convicted of sex crimes against minors had his microphone cut off before the legislation was kicked aside.
Assemblyman Bill Essayli motioned to force a vote on AB 2641 in an effort to force state Democrats to go on the record. The bill would have repealed provisions of a state law that prohibits local authorities from participating in federal immigration enforcement, including banning officers from asking someone about their immigration status and informing immigration authorities about when a suspect is due to be released from local police custody.
On Tuesday, Essayli attempted to introduce the bill in Sacramento before his microphone was cut off in the Democratic-dominated chamber.
Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Jim Wood, a Democrat, quickly cut Essayli off.
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"Stop. Strop. Stop," Wood said. "You went beyond making a motion. You started to go into debate. You can make the motion, but you cannot talk about… the motion will be nondebatable."
A motion was then made to suspend the rules for a vote on the bill, which failed 13-36.
"Every single Democrat voted against it," Essayli told Fox News Digital. "They're so out of touch and tone-deaf. They really feel like they can do whatever they want and there's nothing anyone can do to them. They don't care."
"You cannot get a clear answer out of them about why we should not deport child sex predators," he added.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the California Democratic Party about its stance on the bill.
The vote effectively killed the bill, Essayli said, noting that all bills have to be passed in the Assembly by the end of the week.
Essayli previously told Fox News Digital that he was inspired to seek a legislative fix to California's immigration policies by a recent case in which a Colombian citizen convicted of sex crimes in California was arrested in Massachusetts by immigration agents. The suspect was released from a jail in California, but the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office didn't notify ICE of the impending release because of state laws.
Dalila Epperson, a Republican who is challenging Democratic Assemblywoman Dawn Addis, said state Democrats want California to be a refuge for illegal immigrants.
"This is their stand and they are choosing this hill to die on," she told Fox News Digital. "Gavin Newsom wants it to be a sanctuary state for abortion and illegal aliens. He wants to provide free health care for them, free school. They can't be deported for any reason whatsoever."
Essayli's attempt to force a vote came after AB 2641 was refused a hearing in the Democratic-dominated Assembly Public Safety Committee. The committee came under fire last year when it initially blocked a bill that would have made human trafficking of children a serious felony.
It eventually reversed course after outcry from the public and Democratic leaders, including Newsom.
"They don't want to give Republicans a platform. They're just going to oppose it out of politics," Essayli said. "They're like, ‘We’re never going to let a Republican pass anything here.' They do this thing where they just keep their head in the sand, and they don't respond, and they think it's just going to go away."