The issue focused on immigration enforcement efforts by federal authorities and prosecutors as well as broader domestic criminal justice reforms in Washington. The proposal received bipartisan support from legislators who opposed legalization or decriminalization of marijuana.

Lawmakers expressed outrage over Attorney General Eric Holder's announcement last week that federal prosecutors would stop prosecuting illegal immigrants caught with small amounts of marijuana. Democrats blasted the Justice Department for shifting tactics against communities whose residents illegally possess marijuana. They accused Holder of legalizing recreational pot while ignoring laws prohibiting crimes involving possession of marijuana.
