U.S. Reps. Ted Budd, R-NC, and Chip Roy, R-TX, introduced the Justice for Victims of Lawless Cities Act.

This legislation would allow any individual who is the victim of murder, rape, or any felony in a so-called “autonomous zone” to sue the state or jurisdiction for compensatory damages. If the individual is deceased or permanently incapacitated, the spouse, parent, or child of the individual may sue. The legislation also allows business owners to sue the state or jurisdiction for damages to their business within a lawless autonomous zone.

“Lawless autonomous zones have no place in America. Any city or state that tolerates one should be legally on the hook for any tragedies that happen,” Rep. Budd said. “This bill would be a strong incentive to local jurisdictions to break up any remaining lawless zones or prevent one from being established in the first place.”

“The United States is a nation of laws,” Rep. Roy said. “The first order of government is to secure the blessings of liberty. Any state or city that takes federal funds and fails to enforce the laws should both lose those funds and be liable for the harm they have allowed to occur, including those allowing lawless ‘autonomous zones’ to be created.”

The congressman argue their bill will help “make sure the streets of America can be safe again.”