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Congress·In Committee

Congress Proposes Prison Time for Local Officials Who Block Immigration Release Notices

End Sanctuary Cities Act of 2026

15 days ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Key Points

  • This bill would make it a federal crime for state or local officials to stop their departments from sharing information with federal immigration agents. Specifically, it targets officials who prevent staff from giving notice when a non-citizen is about to be released from jail.
  • Local governments would be required to give federal authorities at least 48 hours' notice before releasing a person who has been charged with or convicted of a crime. This is intended to give immigration agents time to take custody of the individual if they choose to do so.
  • The penalties for officials who block this cooperation are very strict. If an official prevents the sharing of information and the person being released has a history of serious crimes like murder or sexual assault, the official could face between 10 and 25 years in prison.
  • For cases involving other violent felonies, the official could face 5 to 10 years in prison. Even for less serious crimes, an official who refuses to cooperate could be sentenced to up to six months in jail and forced to pay fines.
  • This policy aims to end 'sanctuary' practices where local cities or states refuse to help federal agents track people who are in the country illegally and have been arrested for crimes. It shifts the legal risk directly onto the high-ranking leaders who create those local rules.
ImmigrationCriminal Justice

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

State Impacts

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Feb 20, 2026House

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Feb 20, 2026

Introduced in House

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

End Sanctuary Cities Act of 2026

Bill NumberHR 7612
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(2)
R: 2

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.