Jan. 18—HARRISBURG, Pa. — State Rep. Frank Burns, D-East Taylor Township, recently signed on as the lone Democratic co-sponsor, to date, of a Pennsylvania House of Representatives bill that would prevent municipalities and counties from designating themselves as sanctuary cities.

The legislation, introduced by state Rep. Ryan Warner, R- Fayette, has 24 other co-sponsors, all Republicans, including state Reps. Carl Walker Metzgar, R-Somerset, and Jesse Topper, R-Bedford.

The bill is currently being considered by the House Judiciary Committee.

A “sanctuary city” label means a governing body’s policies protect undocumented immigrants from deportation or prosecution. The city of Philadelphia and several Pennsylvania counties are considered to be “sanctuaries.”

Along with prohibiting the designation, House Bill 1840, according to a press release from pahousegop.com, would:

—”Require a law enforcement officer who has reasonable cause to believe an individual being arrested is not legally present in the United States to notify the appropriate Immigration and Customs Enforcement office within the Department of Homeland Security.”

—”Grant legal standing to any person injured to sue a municipality or county that released an individual with a detainer and did not make a good faith effort to contact the proper immigration authorities and arrange for a transfer of custody.”

“Whether you call them illegal immigrants, undocumented immigrants or just plain migrants, the net effect is the same: A sudden influx of people who require all manner of public-funded services, from housing to health care to help with education,” Burns said in a statement from a separate press release. “To relieve that suffocating financial burden, states are now busing or flying these people to other states, and cities are sending them to other locations within the same state.

“We don’t need to keep open a ‘sanctuary city’ door in Pennsylvania that in reality serves as a portal to exacerbate this trend.

“Call me names if you want, but I think the top priority of any elected official in Pennsylvania should be taking care of the people who are already — and legally — here.”

Burns did not respond to a request for further comment.

Dave Sutor is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5056. Follow him on Twitter @Dave_Sutor.