Sponsors (8)
The bill trades stronger federal immigration-enforcement alignment and increased cooperation with compliant jurisdictions for reduced funding and autonomy for jurisdictions that limit cooperation—potentially improving enforcement but risking local services, community trust, and local economies.
Taxpayers and federal enforcement: earmarks and certain federal funds will be blocked from jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, aligning federal spending with federal immigration policy and preventing Members from directing earmarks to noncooperating areas.
State and local governments that choose to cooperate with federal immigration authorities can more easily share information and honor DHS detainer requests, improving coordinated enforcement.
Immigrant victims and witnesses: the bill excludes victims and witnesses from the "sanctuary" designation, preserving protections that encourage crime victims to report offenses without fear of immigration consequences.
Local governments and residents (including low-income people and renters): jurisdictions labeled as "sanctuary" risk losing earmarked funding that supports local projects and services, leading to delayed or canceled infrastructure and service delivery.
Immigrant communities and public safety: increased federal enforcement or pressure on local policies may reduce local protections, chill reporting to police, and erode trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities, undermining community safety.
State and local autonomy and civil liberties: tying earmark eligibility to local immigration policies politicizes federal funding decisions and limits local discretion over policing and information-sharing.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Prohibits congressional earmarks from being directed to jurisdictions defined as "sanctuary jurisdictions," starting in FY2026.
Official title: To prohibit the use of Federal funds for congressional earmarks targeted to a State or unit of local government that is a sanctuary jurisdiction.
Introduced January 3, 2025 by Beth Van Duyne · Last progress January 3, 2025
Prohibits the use of any federal congressional earmark for a State or local government that the law defines as a “sanctuary jurisdiction.” It defines sanctuary jurisdictions by local statutes, ordinances, policies, or practices that limit sharing or responding to federal immigration information or to DHS detainer/notification requests, with a narrow exception for victims or witnesses. The ban takes effect beginning in fiscal year 2026 and continues each fiscal year thereafter.