Bill > S185

This bill, titled the "Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act of 2025," aims to create a legal mechanism for individuals to sue local governments (called "sanctuary jurisdictions") that have policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The bill defines a sanctuary jurisdiction as a state or local government that restricts sharing information about an alien's immigration status or refuses to comply with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) detainer requests. Victims or their families can file a civil lawsuit for compensatory damages if they have been injured by a crime committed by an alien who benefited from such a sanctuary policy, provided the local jurisdiction failed to comply with a DHS request. The bill establishes a 10-year statute of limitations for such actions and mandates that prevailing plaintiffs can recover reasonable attorney's fees. Additionally, the bill provides that state or local governments accepting certain federal grants must waive their legal immunity for such lawsuits. The legislation also clarifies that local law enforcement agencies complying with federal immigration detainers will be considered acting as federal agents and provides legal protections for such agencies and their employees in related legal proceedings, while explicitly stating that this does not provide immunity for violations of individuals' civil or constitutional rights.

Justice

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/185/all-info