Bill > HB22

This bill establishes strict guidelines for how Hawaii's state and county law enforcement agencies can collaborate with federal immigration authorities (Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection). The legislation prohibits law enforcement agencies from honoring civil immigration detainer requests without a judicial warrant, with limited exceptions for individuals convicted of felonies within the past five years or those suspected of terrorist activity. The bill also restricts agencies from sharing non-public information about individuals with federal immigration authorities, allowing such information sharing only when a judicial warrant is present, or in specific circumstances involving felony convictions or repeat misdemeanor offenses. Importantly, the bill acknowledges Hawaii's immigrant heritage and aims to protect community trust by limiting voluntary cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The legislation defines key terms like "civil immigration detainer" and "judicial warrant" and explicitly allows counties to establish even stronger protective standards. The bill's purpose is to balance federal immigration enforcement with protecting individual rights and maintaining positive relationships between law enforcement and diverse community members, ensuring that state and local resources are not used to enforce federal civil immigration matters without proper legal justification.

Business and Industry, Justice

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=22&year=2026