Sanctuary Penalty and Public Protection Act of 2025

Key Points

• The bill would create a publicly available database listing every state or local government that limits cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The Department of Homeland Security and Attorney General would be required to build this database within 90 days and update it at least every quarter.
• Any jurisdiction placed on the sanctuary list would lose access to all federal funding. The bill does not limit which types of federal money would be cut off, meaning it could affect everything from education grants to highway funds to emergency services.
• A jurisdiction qualifies as a "sanctuary" if it has laws or policies that block local police from honoring ICE detainers, prevent officers from arresting certain immigrants, or stop federal agents from interviewing people in jail about their immigration status.
• The bill was introduced by Rep. Chip Roy of Texas with 14 co-sponsors, all Republicans, and has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. It faces significant hurdles as previous attempts to defund sanctuary cities have stalled in Congress and faced legal challenges.