Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act of 2025

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 611 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 611

     To provide a civil remedy for individuals harmed by sanctuary 
             jurisdiction policies, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 22, 2025

 Mr. Edwards introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
   Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, and Financial Services, for a period 
    to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To provide a civil remedy for individuals harmed by sanctuary 
             jurisdiction policies, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Justice for Victims of Sanctuary 
Cities Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Alien.--The term ``alien'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 101(a)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality 
        Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(3)).
            (2) Sanctuary jurisdiction.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
                (B), the term ``sanctuary jurisdiction'' means any 
                State or political subdivision of a State that has in 
                effect a statute, ordinance, policy, or practice that 
                prohibits or restricts any government entity or 
                official from--
                            (i) sending, receiving, maintaining, or 
                        exchanging with any Federal, State, or local 
                        government entity information regarding the 
                        citizenship or immigration status of any alien; 
                        or
                            (ii) complying with a request lawfully made 
                        by the Department of Homeland Security under 
                        section 236 or 287 of the Immigration and 
                        Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1226 and 1357) to 
                        comply with a detainer for, or notify about the 
                        release of, an alien.
                    (B) Exception.--A State or political subdivision of 
                a State shall not be deemed a sanctuary jurisdiction 
                based solely on having a policy whereby its officials 
                will not share information regarding, or comply with a 
                request made by the Department of Homeland Security 
                under section 236 or 287 of the Immigration and 
                Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1226 and 1357) to comply with 
                a detainer regarding, an alien who comes forward as a 
                victim or a witness to a criminal offense.
            (3) Sanctuary policy.--The term ``sanctuary policy'' means 
        a statute, ordinance, policy, or practice referred to in 
        paragraph (2)(A).
            (4) Sanctuary-related civil action.--The term ``sanctuary-
        related civil action'' means a civil action brought against a 
        sanctuary jurisdiction by an individual (or the estate, 
        survivors, or heirs of such individual) who--
                    (A) is injured or harmed by an alien who benefitted 
                from a sanctuary policy of such sanctuary jurisdiction; 
                and
                    (B) would not have been so injured or harmed if 
                such alien had not been so benefitted.

SEC. 3. CIVIL ACTION FOR HARM BY AN ALIEN THAT BENEFITTED FROM A 
              SANCTUARY POLICY.

    (a) Private Right of Action.--
            (1) Cause of action.--Any individual, or a spouse, parent, 
        or child of such individual (if the individual is deceased or 
        permanently incapacitated), who is the victim of a murder, 
        rape, or any felony (as defined by the State in which the crime 
        occurred) for which an alien has been arrested, convicted, or 
        sentenced to a term of imprisonment of at least 1 year, may 
        bring an action for compensatory damages against a State or a 
        political subdivision of a State, in the appropriate Federal or 
        State court, if such State or political subdivision failed--
                    (A) to comply with a request with respect to an 
                alien that was lawfully made by the Department of 
                Homeland Security pursuant to section 236 or 287 of the 
                Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1226 and 
                1357); and
                    (B)(i) to comply with a detainer for such alien; or
                    (ii) to notify the Department about the release of 
                such alien.
            (2) Statute of limitations.--An action described in 
        paragraph (1) may not be brought later than 10 years after the 
        later of--
                    (A) the occurrence of the crime referred to in 
                paragraph (1); or
                    (B) the death of a person that resulted from such 
                crime.
            (3) Attorney's fee and other costs.--In any action or 
        proceeding under paragraph (1), the court shall allow a 
        prevailing plaintiff to recover a reasonable attorney's fee as 
        part of the costs of the litigation, which shall include any 
        applicable expert fees.
    (b) Waiver of Immunity.--
            (1) In general.--Any State or political subdivision of a 
        State that accepts a grant described in paragraph (2) from the 
        Federal Government shall agree, as a condition of receiving 
        such grant, to waive any immunity of such State or political 
        subdivision relating to a sanctuary-related civil action.
            (2) Grants described.--The grants described in this 
        paragraph are--
                    (A) a grant for public works and economic 
                development under section 201(a) of the Public Works 
                and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 
                3141(a));
                    (B) a grant for planning and administrative 
                expenses under section 203(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
                3143(a));
                    (C) a supplemental grant under section 205(b) of 
                such Act (42 U.S.C. 3145(b));
                    (D) a grant for training, research, and technical 
                assistance under section 207(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
                3147(a)); and
                    (E) except as provided in paragraph (3), a 
                community development block grant made pursuant to 
                title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 
                1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.).
            (3) Exception.--Grants described in paragraph (2)(E) shall 
        not include any disaster relief grants to address the damage in 
        an area for which the President has declared a disaster under 
        title IV of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
        Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170 et seq.).

SEC. 4. ENSURING COOPERATION BETWEEN FEDERAL AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT 
              OFFICERS TO SAFEGUARD OUR COMMUNITIES.

    (a) Authority To Cooperate With Federal Officials.--A State, a 
political subdivision of a State, or an officer, employee, or agent of 
such State or political subdivision that complies with a detainer 
issued by the Department of Homeland Security pursuant to section 236 
or 287 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1226 and 
1357)--
            (1) shall be deemed to be acting as an agent of the 
        Department of Homeland Security; and
            (2) shall comply with section 287(d) of the Immigration and 
        Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1357(d)) and section 287.5(d) of 
        title 8, Code of Federal Regulations.
    (b) Legal Proceedings.--In any legal proceeding brought against a 
State, a political subdivision of State, or an officer, employee, or 
agent of such State or political subdivision challenging the legality 
of the seizure or detention of an individual pursuant to a detainer 
issued by the Department of Homeland Security under section 236 or 287 
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1226 and 1357)--
            (1) the State or political subdivision of a State shall not 
        be liable for any action taken in accordance with the detainer; 
        and
            (2) if the actions of the officer, employee, or agent of 
        the State or political subdivision were taken in accordance 
        with the detainer--
                    (A) the officer, employee, or agent shall be 
                deemed--
                            (i) to be an employee of the Federal 
                        Government and an investigative or law 
                        enforcement officer; and
                            (ii) to have been acting within the scope 
                        of his or her employment under section 1346(b) 
                        of title 28, United States Code, and chapter 
                        171 of such title;
                    (B) section 1346(b) of title 28, United States 
                Code, shall provide the exclusive remedy for the 
                plaintiff; and
                    (C) the United States shall be substituted as the 
                defendant in such proceeding.
    (c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed 
to provide immunity to any person who knowingly violates the civil or 
constitutional rights of an individual.
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