BLOC Act

This bill would cut off some federal funds to any state that doesn’t have a system to tell the U.S. Department of Homeland Security when certain noncitizens are being released from jail or detention. It targets “sanctuary” policies by making those states ineligible for specific federal money if they don’t share this release information. The change is made in the federal highways law, which suggests the funds at risk include transportation-related dollars.

Key points:

• Who is affected: State governments, local law enforcement, and communities in “sanctuary” areas.
• What changes: States must set up a notification process to alert Homeland Security about releases of certain noncitizens, or lose access to certain federal funds.
• When: Would take effect after the bill becomes law; exact timing details aren’t provided in the text shown.