Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities and Fallen Law Enforcement Act of 2026

This bill would let victims of murder, rape, or other felonies committed by a noncitizen, or certain family members, sue a state or local government for compensatory damages if that government did not honor a federal immigration detainer or release-notification request for that person. Lawsuits could be filed up to 10 years after the crime or a resulting death, and winning plaintiffs could recover attorney's fees. States and localities that accept certain federal economic development and community development block grants would have to waive legal immunity from these lawsuits. The bill would also treat local officials who honor federal detainers as federal agents for legal liability purposes, set a 20-year minimum prison sentence for assaults that seriously injure law enforcement officers, and apply first-degree murder sentencing to the murder of law enforcement officers.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Thom Tillis Republican sponsor
• 0 cosponsors