End Sanctuary Cities Act of 2026
Sen. Graham Introduces End Sanctuary Cities Act, Threatening Prison Time for Officials Who Shield Immigrants
A bill to amend chapter 93 of title 18, United States Code, to prohibit obstruction of immigration laws by official interference.
Superseded
The companion bill in the other chamber is advancing instead.
→View advancing bill: Congress Proposes Prison Time for Local Officials Who Block Immigration Release NoticesLegislative Progress
Key Points
- This bill, introduced by Senator Graham, would make it a federal crime for local or state officials to block cooperation with federal immigration authorities. It specifically targets policies that prevent local police from telling the federal government when they are releasing a non-citizen who has been arrested for a crime.
- Local officials would be required to give the Department of Homeland Security at least 48 hours' notice before releasing a person who has been charged with or convicted of a crime. This is intended to give federal agents time to take that person into custody for potential deportation.
- Government leaders who ignore these rules could face serious prison time. If an official's refusal leads to the release of someone charged with murder or a sex crime against a child, that official could be sentenced to between 10 and 25 years in prison.
- For other violent crimes, the penalty for the official would be 5 to 10 years in prison. For less serious crimes, the official could face up to six months in jail. This marks a major shift by holding individual government employees personally responsible for following federal immigration requests.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
This bill is designed to make it easier for federal immigration authorities to detain and deport non-citizens who have been charged with or convicted of crimes. By threatening local officials with prison time if they don't cooperate with federal requests, the bill aims to close what supporters see as a loophole where people are released back into communities instead of being turned over to immigration agents. For undocumented individuals who have any criminal charges — even minor ones — this could mean a much higher chance of being picked up by federal authorities upon release from local custody.
State Impacts
Milestones
Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 318.
The bill is now on the schedule for the full chamber to consider. It's in line for debate and a vote.
Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
2 articles
Sanctuary cities are sanctuaries for criminals
Senator Lindsey Graham announced a pledge from leadership for a vote on his bill to 'end sanctuary city policies forever.' The legislation aims to forbid methods used by local officials to shield criminal aliens from federal law enforcement, citing recent unrest in Minneapolis as a catalyst.
Graham teases Trump plan to end sanctuary city policies 'forever'
Senator Lindsey Graham told Fox News that President Trump is working on a plan to eliminate sanctuary city policies nationwide. Graham emphasized that the administration would not bend to local policies that incentivize 'massive fraud' and obstruct federal immigration enforcement.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
A bill to amend chapter 93 of title 18, United States Code, to prohibit obstruction of immigration laws by official interference.
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(2)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.