Sponsors (18)
The bill incentivizes local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement by protecting officers and tying federal grant eligibility to compliance, which preserves funding and clarifies roles for cooperating jurisdictions but shifts liability and enforcement incentives to the federal level and risks reduced funding, oversight, and community trust in jurisdictions labeled as 'sanctuary,' disproportionately harming immigrants and low‑income communities.
State and local governments that cooperate with federal immigration authorities keep eligibility for EDA and CDBG grants, preserving funding for local development and housing projects.
State and local officers who comply with ICE detainers are shielded from state civil suits because the United States is substituted as the defendant and the FTCA is the exclusive remedy, reducing local liability risk and legal uncertainty for officers.
Cooperating jurisdictions gain clearer criteria and benefits under the Act, giving local officials more predictable guidance when deciding whether to work with DHS.
Residents (especially low-income individuals and renters) in jurisdictions labeled 'sanctuary' would lose access to EDA and CDBG funding, risking cutbacks to community development, affordable housing, and infrastructure projects.
Immigrants subject to ICE detainers may face greater risk of prolonged detention or transfer while having reduced ability to pursue state tort claims because claims are substituted to the United States under the FTCA, which limits remedies and imposes procedural hurdles.
The bill effectively pushes state and local governments toward performing federal immigration enforcement duties, shifting local priorities, straining resources, and potentially chilling local oversight and accountability for detention practices.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Designates jurisdictions with policies limiting cooperation on immigration as "sanctuary," bars them from certain EDA and CDBG funds, and treats local officers who honor ICE detainers as federal agents for liability purposes.
Makes state or local officers who comply with ICE detainer requests act as federal agents for that purpose, shields those officers and jurisdictions from most civil suits by substituting the United States as defendant, and defines what counts as a “sanctuary jurisdiction.” Declares jurisdictions that meet that definition ineligible for multiple federal economic and community development grants (including certain EDA and CDBG funds), requires return and reallocation of funds received while designated a sanctuary jurisdiction, and takes effect October 1, 2025.
Introduced February 24, 2025 by Rafael Edward Cruz · Last progress February 24, 2025