New legislation in the U.S. Senate would crack down on sanctuary cities nationwide and protect local law enforcement if they aid federal immigration agents.
The legislation would mean local and state law enforcement could comply with Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers “without fear of reprisal,” according to the announcement by Republican U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Tim Scott.
The bill, called the Sanctuary City Elimination Act, would also block some federal funds and grants from going to sanctuary cities.
“For far too long, sanctuary cities across the nation have sidestepped federal immigration law and created safe havens for dangerous illegal aliens, putting the safety and security of Americans at risk and undermining the rule of law,” Cornyn said.
For far too long, sanctuary cities across the nation – including Houston as of last week’s misguided City Council vote – have sidestepped federal immigration law & created safe havens for dangerous illegal aliens, putting the safety & security of Americans at risk & undermining… pic.twitter.com/tQrrND4jow
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) April 17, 2026
Scott in a statement cited a recent example of an illegal from Mexico who allegedly killed two kids while drunk driving in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
“Every family in South Carolina deserves to feel safe in their own community, and that starts with a system that puts public safety first,” he said in a statement. “The tragic loss of two young kids near Spartanburg this week is a devastating reminder of the real consequences of President Biden’s open border policies, which are continuing to fail local communities.”
A heartbreaking, preventable act. Illegal immigration and failed border policies continue to cause devastating harm in our communities.
My heart continues to be with the families of these two young boys. https://t.co/eDaXJdfxid
— Senator Tim Scott (@SenatorTimScott) April 20, 2026
“The Sanctuary City Elimination Act takes a commonsense step forward by empowering state and local law enforcement to work hand-in-hand with DHS, while protecting the officers who are doing their jobs, and ensuring jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate are not rewarded with federal tax dollars,” Scott added.
The federal funds and grants blocked would include “arts, education, environmental, and community development block grants,” according to the announcement.
The Justice Department last year published a list of sanctuary states, counties, and cities across the country. The states included California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington, while Boston, Chicago, Denver, and New Orleans were among sanctuary cities listed.
