In wake of Kate Steinle verdict, new GOP bill would punish officials for sheltering illegal aliens

Rep. Todd Rokita (R-Ind.) introduced a bill on Friday that would slap local officials with huge fines and possibly jail time if they refused to comply with federal immigration initiative.

What are the details?

According to Fox News on Monday, Rokita introduced the Stopping Lawless Actions of Politicians Act (SLAP) in the wake of the Kate Steinle verdict. The bill takes aim at sanctuary city policies and enforcement.

Last week, Mexican national Jose Ines Garcia Zarate was acquitted of the 2015 murder of Steinle in San Francisco.

Garcia Zarate was deported five times before the shooting of Steinle, and was the subject of a federal immigration detention request when Steinle was fatally shot on a San Francisco pier.

Despite his detainer, officials released Garcia Zarate before notifying immigration enforcement.

SLAP would criminally hold accountable those violating immigration laws.

According to Rokita, those in violation of the act could face up to $1 million in fines and up to five years in prison should they be convicted.

"Politicians don’t get to pick and choose what laws to comply with," Rokita told Fox News. "Americans are dying because politicians sworn to uphold the law refuse to do so.

He added, "It’s time the federal government gets serious about enforcing immigration laws and holding politicians accountable who conspire to break them."