No Congressional Funds for Sanctuary Cities Act
No Congressional Funds for Sanctuary Cities Act
Plain Language Summary
# Summary: No Congressional Funds for Sanctuary Cities Act **What the Bill Does** This bill would prevent federal earmarked funding (money Congress directs to specific projects) from going to cities and counties that don't cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. Specifically, it targets jurisdictions with laws or policies that restrict sharing immigration status information with federal authorities or that don't comply with immigration detention requests from the Department of Homeland Security. The bill includes an exception for crime victims and witnesses who come forward voluntarily. **Who It Affects** The bill would primarily impact local governments in "sanctuary" jurisdictions—cities and counties that have adopted policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
These areas exist in various states nationwide. The bill also indirectly affects residents in these jurisdictions who might lose federal funding for local projects if their governments don't change their immigration policies. **Current Status** The bill was introduced by Representative Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) in the 119th Congress and is currently in committee, meaning it hasn't yet been debated or voted on by the full House of Representatives. Similar bills restricting funds to sanctuary jurisdictions have been proposed in previous congressional sessions with mixed results.
CRS Official Summary
No Congressional Funds for Sanctuary Cities ActThis bill prohibits federal funds from being used as congressionally directed spending (i.e., an earmark) for jurisdictions that withhold information about citizenship or immigration status or do not cooperate with immigration detainers.Specifically, such funds are denied to any jurisdiction that has a law, policy, or practice that prohibits or restricts any government entity frommaintaining, sending, or receiving information regarding the citizenship or immigration status of any individual;exchanging information regarding an individual's citizenship or immigration status with a federal, state, or local government entity;complying with a valid immigration detainer from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); ornotifying DHS about an individual's release from custody.The funding restriction does not apply to a law, policy, or practice that only applies to an individual who comes forward as a victim of or a witness to a criminal offense.This prohibition begins in FY2026.
Latest Action
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.