Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) and Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Penn.) reintroduced legislation Wednesday that would strip funding from so-called sanctuary jurisdictions, which refuse to cooperate with federal immigration officials.

“Across this country, more than 300 sanctuary cities are thumbing their nose at Congress, flouting our laws, and endangering the lives of their citizens — all while relying on federal funding from American taxpayers,” Black said in an official statement.

“Why on earth would we continue to pay cities for neglecting their most basic duties?”

More from LifeZette TV

MORE NEWS: Fox News Pushes Further Left, Cuts off Newt Gingrinch After He Mentions George Soros

The “Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act” was cosponsored by 59 other members of the House of Representatives and would cut off a number of federal revenue streams to localities that persist in protecting illegal aliens from the law.

“Why on earth would we continue to pay cities for neglecting their most basic duties? It defies logic and demands action,” Black said. “With our bill, sanctuary cities will finally incur real penalties for playing politics with public safety and for willfully ignoring federal immigration laws.”

Do you agree that protesting is acceptable, but rioting is not? Yes No Email Address (required) By completing the poll, you agree to receive emails from LifeZette and that you've read and agree to our privacy policy and legal statement Results Vote

Under the bill, community development block grants could be withdrawn from sanctuary jurisdictions, as could Economic Development Administration grants for everything from public works to administrative expenses to training and research.

The bill would also compel sanctuary jurisdictions that somehow manage to receive certain federal grants to give the money back should their flagrant disregard for federal immigration law be discovered.

“If these jurisdictions do receive grants and are then found to have sanctuary policies, they will be required to give back the funds, which will then be reallocated to compliant jurisdictions,” explained the Federation for American Immigration Reform in a statement supporting the bill. “If the government fails to recoup the money and reallocate it, states may sue to uphold the law,” the statement continued.

MORE NEWS: After Dismantling Police, As Crime Surges Minneapolis Officials Are Asking “Where Are the Police?”

[lz_related_box id=”269412″]

“It is past time for Congress to act to end dangerous sanctuary city policies,” said Toomey in his official statement. “Sanctuary cities not only make it harder to stop illegal immigration and keep dangerous criminals off the streets, but they also undermine our anti-terrorism efforts,” he added.

A similar bill, sponsored by Sen. David Vitter in 2015, failed — but given that both houses of Congress now sit securely in Republican hands and the White House will soon be occupied by a president who has promised a crackdown on the lawless jurisdictions, the Black-Toomey bill could very well succeed.