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Checked against the record · New York 17th District 2026

How has Mike Lawler voted on border security and sanctuary cities?

Matches stated direction. He voted for House bills cutting funds to sanctuary cities and restarting border wall work, which did not become law, and for the Laken Riley Act, which did.

Mike Lawler

Border and detention votes

Matches stated direction

What they say

His campaign says he supports secure borders and opposes sanctuary policies for migrants who commit crimes.

“a commonsense voice in support of secure borders and opposing “Sanctuary” policies for criminal migrants”

What the record shows ·

He was an original cosponsor of the No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act, H.R. 5717, and voted Yea when it passed the House 219-186 on September 20, 2024 (roll call 437). It cuts off federal funds that sanctuary jurisdictions plan to spend on migrants here without legal status. He voted Yea on the Secure the Border Act, H.R. 2, which passed the House 219-213 on May 11, 2023 (roll call 209); it called for restarting border wall construction and changing asylum rules. He voted Yea on the Laken Riley Act, S. 5, which passed the House 263-156 on January 22, 2025 (roll call 23) and became law on January 29. It requires the Homeland Security Department to detain certain migrants who entered illegally or lack valid entry papers and are arrested for or charged with theft, burglary, shoplifting or assaulting a law enforcement officer.

Limit: Only the Laken Riley Act became law. These are passage votes; amendment votes were not counted.

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Sources10 source records

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  1. Issueshttps://www.lawlerforcongress.com/issues/

    Lawler for Congress, Inc. · Reviewed Oct 7, 2026

    Fifteen issue sections, most of them lists of bills and votes he names. Undated; read October 1, 2026.

    candidate statement

    For: How has Mike Lawler voted on border security and sanctuary cities?

  2. H.R. 5717 (118th Congress), No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Acthttps://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5717

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsor Nick LaLota; Lawler an original cosponsor. Passed the House September 20, 2024. Not enacted.

    official legislative record

    For: How has Mike Lawler voted on border security and sanctuary cities?

  3. H.R. 5717 as passed by the Househttps://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-118hr5717eh/html/BILLS-118hr5717eh.htm

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Published Sep 20, 2024 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sec. 3 makes a sanctuary jurisdiction ineligible for federal funds it intends to use for migrants without lawful status.

    official legislative record

    For: How has Mike Lawler voted on border security and sanctuary cities?

  4. House Roll Call 437, 2024: H.R. 5717, on passagehttps://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2024437

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    September 20, 2024. Carried 219-186. Lawler is recorded Yea.

    official legislative record

    For: How has Mike Lawler voted on border security and sanctuary cities?

  5. H.R. 2 (118th Congress), Secure the Border Act of 2023https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/2

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsor Mario Diaz-Balart. Passed the House May 11, 2023. Not enacted.

    official legislative record

    For: How has Mike Lawler voted on border security and sanctuary cities?

  6. H.R. 2 as passed by the Househttps://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-118hr2eh/html/BILLS-118hr2eh.htm

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Published May 11, 2023 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Includes "Immediate resumption of border wall construction" and a title headed "Asylum reform and border protection."

    official legislative record

    For: How has Mike Lawler voted on border security and sanctuary cities?

  7. House Roll Call 209, 2023: H.R. 2, on passagehttps://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023209

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    May 11, 2023. Carried 219-213. Lawler is recorded Yea.

    official legislative record

    For: How has Mike Lawler voted on border security and sanctuary cities?

  8. S. 5 (119th Congress), Laken Riley Acthttps://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsor Katie Britt. Passed the House January 22, 2025. Became Public Law 119-1.

    official legislative record

    For: How has Mike Lawler voted on border security and sanctuary cities?

  9. Public Law 119-1, Laken Riley Acthttps://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-119publ1/html/PLAW-119publ1.htm

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Published Jan 29, 2025 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Signed January 29, 2025. Sec. 2 requires a detainer and custody for migrants who are inadmissible and are charged with, arrested for or convicted of burglary, theft, larceny, shoplifting or assaulting a law enforcement officer.

    official legislative record

    For: How has Mike Lawler voted on border security and sanctuary cities?

  10. House Roll Call 23, 2025: S. 5, on passagehttps://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202523

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    January 22, 2025. Carried 263-156. Lawler is recorded Yea.

    official legislative record

    For: How has Mike Lawler voted on border security and sanctuary cities?