Enact the Protecting Ohio Communities Act

HB 666, titled the Protecting Ohio Communities Act, requires state and local authorities to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement and prohibits municipalities from passing laws that hinder this cooperation. The bill mandates that local police share arrestee information with federal agencies and detain individuals unlawfully present in the U.S. until they are transferred to federal custody. Additionally, it requires government entities to verify the immigration status of applicants for public benefits using federal databases. Municipalities that fail to comply with these requirements or enact conflicting ordinances risk losing state homeland security funding.