Sponsors (21)
The bill strengthens federal–local immigration enforcement coordination and shields compliant local actors from local litigation while using federal funding as leverage to compel cooperation—but it narrows legal remedies for immigrants, expands local enforcement reach (risking wrongful detentions and community distrust), and can cut grants and services to jurisdictions that limit cooperation.
State and local officers who comply with DHS immigration detainers are treated as federal agents and the United States may be substituted as the defendant, so local governments face less local litigation exposure and defense costs are shifted to the federal government.
Non‑sanctuary States and localities may receive reallocated CDBG and EDA economic development funds and federal taxpayer money is restricted from jurisdictions that don't meet cooperation criteria, creating a financial incentive for cooperation.
Clearer standards and notification requirements for sharing detention and release information improve federal–local coordination, helping DHS and law enforcement locate unauthorized noncitizens more quickly after release.
Immigrants detained under DHS detainers will have more limited legal avenues because claims are channeled into the federal remedy under 28 U.S.C. §1346(b), which can bar or narrow constitutional and other claims against local actors and make relief harder to obtain.
Designating jurisdictions as 'sanctuary' (or ineligible for cooperation-based criteria) risks the loss of CDBG/EDA and other federal grants, meaning reduced funding for housing, infrastructure, and community programs in those states and localities.
Granting state and local officers federal authority and encouraging data-sharing expands civil immigration enforcement by local actors, increasing risk of wrongful detentions, deportations, and deterioration of community trust—likely reducing crime reporting and cooperation with police.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Conditions federal public works and CDBG funds on not being a defined "sanctuary jurisdiction," grants liability protection and federal-agent status to officials who honor DHS detainers, and requires return/reallocation of funds for noncompliant jurisdictions.
Official title: To ensure State and local law enforcement officers are permitted to cooperate with Federal officials to protect our communities from violent criminals and suspected terrorists who are illegally present in the United States.
Introduced June 10, 2025 by Nicholas A. Langworthy · Last progress June 10, 2025
Makes local and state officials who honor certain DHS immigration detainers act as federal agents for those actions, shields states and localities from most lawsuits arising from complying with those detainers, and defines “sanctuary jurisdictions.” It conditions federal economic development and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) eligibility on not being a “sanctuary jurisdiction,” authorizing denial, return, and reallocation of funds for jurisdictions that meet the definition. The grant-related changes take effect October 1, 2025.