Sponsors (2)
The bill defines “sanctuary jurisdiction” in the Housing and Community Development Act and makes any State or local government that meets that definition ineligible for certain federal housing and community development grants. It requires grantees to certify that they are not, and will not become, a sanctuary jurisdiction during the grant period; limited exceptions are allowed for protections of victims or witnesses. The rule changes mean some states, cities, counties, and housing agencies could lose access to specified HUD grants if they limit sharing immigration or citizenship information or refuse certain DHS detainer/notification requests, unless they change those practices or qualify for the narrow exception.
Adds a new paragraph (25) to 42 U.S.C. 5302(a) defining “sanctuary jurisdiction.” Under the definition, a “sanctuary jurisdiction” is any State or political subdivision that has a statute, ordinance, policy, or practice that prohibits or restricts government entities or officials from sending, receiving, maintaining, or exchanging information about an individual’s citizenship or immigration status.
Continues the definition of “sanctuary jurisdiction” to include jurisdictions that prohibit or restrict complying with a lawful Department of Homeland Security request under INA sections 236 or 287 to comply with a detainer for, or to notify about the release of, an individual.
Provides an explicit exception: a State or political subdivision is not a sanctuary jurisdiction solely because it has a policy refusing to share information or comply with a DHS detainer request when the individual comes forward as a victim or a witness to a criminal offense.
Amends 42 U.S.C. 5304(b) by striking the word “and” at the end of paragraph (5).
Amends 42 U.S.C. 5304(b) by redesignating existing paragraph (6) as paragraph (7).
Who is affected and how:
State and Local Governments: Directly affected because their local laws, ordinances, or policies regarding cooperation with federal immigration authorities will determine grant eligibility. Jurisdictions that restrict information-sharing or refuse DHS detainer/notification requests risk losing access to covered housing and community development grants unless they change policies or meet the victims/witness exception.
Public Housing Agencies and HUD Grantees: Agencies that apply for or receive HUD or related community development grants must certify compliance and may face suspension or denial of funds if their jurisdiction meets the sanctuary definition.
Immigrants and Noncitizen Residents: Indirectly affected; if jurisdictions lose grant funds, local housing, homelessness prevention, or community-development services that benefit immigrant communities could be reduced. Conversely, some jurisdictions may change policies to maintain funding, which could increase local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
Victims and Witnesses: The bill carves out a narrow protection for victims or witnesses, meaning some confidentiality protections may continue for these groups; however, other immigrants might not be covered by the exception.
Federal and Local Administrations: HUD (or the administering agency) will need to implement certification procedures, monitor compliance, and adjudicate disputes about sanctuary status, increasing administrative workload and potential legal challenges.
Legal and Budgetary Effects: The change does not appropriate funds but ties existing grant access to compliance with federal standards on information-sharing and detainer cooperation; this could prompt litigation over definitions, preemption, and constitutional or statutory limits on conditioning federal funds.
Overall, the legislation uses grant-eligibility conditions to influence state and local immigration-related policies, creating potential trade-offs between local policy priorities and federal funding for housing and community programs.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Last progress June 12, 2025 (8 months ago)
Introduced on June 12, 2025 by William Francis Hagerty
Updated 3 days ago
Last progress June 12, 2025 (8 months ago)