HELD Act Help Ensure Legal Detainers Act
Establishes law enforcement procedures for responding to immigration detainers and certain requests issued by federal immigration authorities.
No Congressional Funds for Sanctuary Cities ActThis bill prohibits federal funds from being used as congressionally directed spending (i.e., an earmark) for jurisdictions that withhold information about citizenship or immigration status or do not cooperate with immigration detainers.Specifically, such funds are denied to any jurisdiction that has a law, policy, or practice that prohibits or restricts any government entity frommaintaining, sending, or receiving information regarding the citizenship or immigration status of any individual;exchanging information regarding an individual's citizenship or immigration status with a federal, state, or local government entity;complying with a valid immigration detainer from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); ornotifying DHS about an individual's release from custody.The funding restriction does not apply to a law, policy, or practice that only applies to an individual who comes forward as a victim of or a witness to a criminal offense.This prohibition begins in FY2026.
Relative to state compliance with detainer requests
Sarah's LawThis bill requires the Department of Justice or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain a non-U.S. national (alien under federal law) who is unlawfully present in the United States and has been charged with, arrested for, convicted of, or admits to having committed acts that constitute the essential elements of a crime that resulted in the death or serious bodily injury of another person.DHS must obtain information about the identity of any victims of the crimes for which the detained individual was charged or convicted. DHS shall provide the victim, or a relative or guardian of a deceased victim, with information about the detained individual, including name, date of birth, nationality, immigration status, criminal history, and a description of any related removal efforts.
Ensuring United Families at the Border ActThis bill addresses the treatment of children who are non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law), including by statutorily establishing that there is no presumption that such a child (other than an unaccompanied child) should not be detained for immigration purposes.Specifically, the bill states that the detention of such minors shall be governed by specified sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act and not any other provision of law, judicial ruling, or settlement agreement.(A 1997 settlement agreement, commonly known as the Flores agreement, imposes requirements relating to the treatment of detained alien minors, including requiring such minors to be released or placed in a nonsecure facility after a certain amount of time in detention.)If an adult enters the United States unlawfully with their child, the Department of Homeland Security must detain the adult and child together if the only criminal charge against the adult is a misdemeanor for unlawful entry.This bill also prohibits states from imposing licensing requirements on immigration detention facilities used to detain minors or families with minors.
Modifies procedure for requesting audits of political subdivisions
This bill prohibits the Department of Defense (DOD) from using funds to transfer or release within the United States (including its territories or possessions) any detainee (1) who is not a U.S. citizen or member of the U.S. Armed Forces; and (2) who is or was held by DOD at U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on or after January 20, 2009.
Modifies procedure for requesting audits of political subdivisions
Prohibits the detainment of minors with adult detainees in the city of New York.