Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act of 2025
In Committee
Introduced:Jan 22, 2025
Primary Sponsor
Thom Tillis
Senator
Republican
NC
Cosponsors
10
Quick Stats
Policy Area
Immigration
Summary
This bill allows crime victims to sue sanctuary jurisdictions that fail to cooperate with DHS immigration detainer requests. Victims of felonies committed by aliens can sue if the jurisdiction refused to honor detention or notification requests. Jurisdictions receiving federal grants cannot claim immunity. The bill also protects jurisdictions and employees who comply with detainers by deeming them federal agents and shielding them from liability.
Latest Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
AI Summary
Plain-English explanation of this bill
This bill allows crime victims to sue sanctuary jurisdictions that fail to cooperate with DHS immigration detainer requests. Victims of felonies committed by aliens can sue if the jurisdiction refused to honor detention or notification requests. Jurisdictions receiving federal grants cannot claim immunity. The bill also protects jurisdictions and employees who comply with detainers by deeming them federal agents and shielding them from liability.
Last updated: 1/4/2026
Official Summary
Congressional Research Service summary
<p><strong>Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act of 2025</strong></p><p>This bill provides a private right of action against state and local jurisdictions with certain policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement efforts, and contains additional provisions related to such jurisdictions. Currently, such cooperation is generally not required.</p><p>An individual (or certain relatives of such an individual) who is the victim of any felony for which an alien has been arrested, convicted, or sentenced to a prison term of at least one year may sue a state or local jurisdiction if the jurisdiction failed to comply with (1) certain Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requests related to arresting and detaining aliens, and (2) a DHS request to detain the alien in question or provide a notification about the release of the alien. A jurisdiction that accepts certain federal grants may not assert immunity in such a civil action.</p><p>A jurisdiction (or employee of a jurisdiction) that complies with certain DHS detainer requests shall be deemed to be acting as an agent of DHS. A complying jurisdiction or employee of the jurisdiction shall not be liable in any lawsuit relating to compliance with such requests. In a lawsuit against an employee of the jurisdiction, the United States shall be substituted in as the defendant, and remedies shall be limited to provisions for bringing tort claims against the federal government.</p>
Key Points
Main provisions of the bill
Creates private right of action against sanctuary jurisdictions
Victims of felonies by aliens can sue non-compliant jurisdictions
Removes sovereign immunity for grant-receiving jurisdictions
Protects compliant jurisdictions as federal agents
Shields compliant employees from personal liability
How This Impacts Americans
Potential effects on citizens and communities
This legislation creates financial liability for sanctuary policies by enabling lawsuits from crime victims. It aims to pressure jurisdictions to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement by exposing them to civil damages. The immunity protections for complying jurisdictions incentivize cooperation. Critics argue it unfairly scapegoats immigrants and interferes with local law enforcement priorities.
Policy Areas
Primary Policy Area
Immigration
Scope & Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Level
federal
Congressional Session
119th Congress
Citation Reference
185, 119th Congress (2025). "Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act of 2025". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-s-185
