Immigration

Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act of 2025 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. 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. 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.

HR 6854, the "No Welfare for Non-Citizens Act," would remove all federal public benefit eligibility for non-citizens under current law. It amends the 1996 welfare law by eliminating exceptions that previously allowed certain non-citizens (like "qualified aliens") to access benefits such as cash assistance and unemployment benefits. The bill repeals existing provisions that permitted limited eligibility and explicitly states non-citizens are ineligible for all federal public benefits. This change would directly affect non-citizens without specific immigration statuses, removing their access to programs like SNAP (food stamps) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) that were previously available under limited circumstances.

HR 355, the "Justice for Jocelyn Act," restricts the use of Alternatives to Detention (ATD) programs for immigrants in U.S. immigration proceedings. It requires that detention beds be fully occupied, no detention options remain, and all reasonable efforts to detain have been exhausted before an immigrant can be released under ATD. The bill mandates continuous GPS tracking for all ATD participants throughout immigration proceedings and until removal, plus a nightly curfew (10 p.m. to 5 a.m.) requiring them to stay at a designated home address. Violating release conditions triggers automatic removal in absentia without further court hearing. This directly affects immigrants eligible for ATD, altering how they are monitored and held during immigration cases.

S 3215, the "Putting American Workers First Act," amends the National Labor Relations Act to prohibit employers from hiring unauthorized workers (individuals without legal work status) and labor organizations from representing them in collective bargaining. It makes these actions unfair labor practices, unless the employer or labor organization used a good-faith verification system like E-Verify to confirm the individual’s legal status. The bill directly affects employers and labor unions by requiring proof of work authorization before hiring or representing workers. Key provisions clarify that using the existing immigration verification system (Section 274A of the Immigration and Nationality Act) satisfies the good-faith requirement for avoiding penalties. The bill does not ban hiring unauthorized workers outright but mandates verification to avoid unfair labor practice claims.

S 3805, the End Sanctuary Cities Act of 2026, requires state and local government officials to provide "reasonable advance notice" to federal immigration authorities about the release of non-citizens convicted of crimes. It specifically prohibits officials from blocking such notice through policies or actions, targeting jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Violations carry criminal penalties: up to 25 years in prison for releases involving murder, rape, or sex offenses against minors, 5-10 years for serious violent felonies, and 30 days-6 months for other crimes. The bill directly affects state and local law enforcement officials who implement policies restricting immigration cooperation. It does not change existing immigration laws but adds penalties for obstructing their enforcement.

This bill requires mandatory detention for certain noncitizens (aliens) charged with crimes resulting in death or serious bodily injury, specifically those who entered without inspection, had a revoked temporary visa, or fall under specific immigration categories. It directly affects noncitizens facing such criminal charges and crime victims or their families. Key provisions mandate U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to notify victims (or their families if deceased) about the alien’s identity, immigration status, custody details, and removal efforts. The bill also clarifies that these requirements do not override existing victim rights under other laws.

This bill would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to exclude certain children born in the U.S. from automatic birthright citizenship. Specifically, it targets children born to parents who are: (1) unlawfully present in the U.S., (2) present for diplomatic purposes, or (3) engaged in hostile operations like spying or terrorism. The change directly affects the citizenship status of these children by adding explicit statutory exceptions to the current birthright citizenship rule. It codifies existing judicial interpretations (like the diplomat exception) and expands the scope to include illegal immigrants and hostile actors.

HR 992, the PATROL Act, prohibits the federal Attorney General from suing states that build border barriers (like walls or fences) to prevent illegal entry or protect state territory. It specifically blocks civil lawsuits under existing border laws (33 U.S.C. 401/403) against states for such barrier projects. The bill defines key terms like "barrier" (including walls or fences) and "immigration laws" to clarify its scope. This directly affects states constructing border infrastructure and limits federal legal actions against those efforts. The bill does not create new border policies but changes the legal landscape for state-led border security measures.

HR 707, the "Deport Illegal Voters Act of 2025," would amend U.S. immigration law to make illegal voting by non-citizens a basis for deportation. Specifically, it adds "voting in violation of any Federal, State, or local constitutional provision, statute, ordinance, or regulation" to the definition of an "aggravated felony" under immigration law. This change would make non-citizens who vote illegally in U.S. elections inadmissible (preventing entry) and deportable (allowing removal). The bill directly affects non-citizens who participate in elections where they lack voting eligibility under applicable law.

Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act This bill expands the E-Verify program by requiring all employers to use it and permanently reauthorizes the program. Currently, E-Verify use is voluntary for most employers, although some states mandate its use. All employers must use E-Verify to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of all recruited, referred, or hired individuals, including current employees who were never verified under the program. Failure to use E-Verify shall create a rebuttable presumption that the employer is violating immigration law. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services must generate weekly reports about individuals who have received a final nonconfirmation of employment eligibility. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must use the report to enforce immigration laws. The bill increases civil and criminal penalties for hiring non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) who are not authorized to work. DHS must bar repeat offenders and those criminally convicted from holding federal contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements. The Social Security Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Department of the Treasury, and DHS must jointly establish a program to share information to help identify non-U.S. nationals who are not authorized to work. The bill establishes the Employer Compliance Inspection Center within Homeland Security Investigations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The center's duties include processing I-9 employment eligibility verification forms and ensuring compliance with employment eligibility laws. DHS must report to Congress on ways to simplify procedures relating to I-9 forms and on whether the I-9 process should be eliminated.