As Donald Trump delivers a strictly anti-immigration message towards the GOP presidential polls, the immigration debate is being opened by the House Republicans with legislation that would crack down on what are being called “sanctuary cities,” the hundreds of localities that give safe harbor to undocumented immigrants.

It’s the first sign that the uproar that was started by Trump — after the shooting death of a woman allegedly committed by an undocumented immigrant is having a ripple effect. And Democrats are taking the opportunity to try and brand the GOP as in the thrall of the real estate mogul — calling the sanctuary cities bill passed by the House Thursday as the “Donald Trump Act.”

Unmoved, Republicans pressed forward on legislation that would block funding for sanctuary cities as an opening move in a broader immigration fight. GOP leaders have promised the rank-and-file that more enforcement legislation is coming, though they haven’t mentioned specific bills.

Although  immigration reform was resisted by the House Republicans for the last two years, House Republicans are responding to the national outcry over sanctuary cities after the shooting death of the woman in San Francisco — allegedly at the hands of an immigrant here illegally who was released by local authorities, even though he was asked to be detained. Trump’s surge, they say, is an example  of the same wave of public concern.