I
119THCONGRESS
1
STSESSION H. R. 1821
To deny Federal funding to any State or political subdivision of a State
that has in effect any law, policy, or procedure that prevents or impedes
a State or local law enforcement official from maintaining custody of
an alien pursuant to an immigration detainer issued by the Secretary
of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH4, 2025
Mr. C
ALVERTintroduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To deny Federal funding to any State or political subdivision
of a State that has in effect any law, policy, or procedure
that prevents or impedes a State or local law enforce-
ment official from maintaining custody of an alien pursu-
ant to an immigration detainer issued by the Secretary
of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3
This Act may be cited as the— 4
(1) ‘‘Help Ensure Legal Detainers Act’’; or 5
(2) ‘‘HELD Act’’. 6
VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:17 Mar 18, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1821.IH H1821
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 2
•HR 1821 IH
SEC. 2. DENIAL OF FEDERAL FUNDING TO STATES AND 1
UNITS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT FAIL 2
TO RESPOND TO IMMIGRATION DETAINERS. 3
(a) I
NGENERAL.—With respect to fiscal years begin-4
ning after the date of the enactment of this Act, no Fed-5
eral funds may be used to assist any project or activity 6
carried out by a State, or a political subdivision of a State, 7
described in subsection (b). 8
(b) S
TATES AND POLITICALSUBDIVISIONSDE-9
SCRIBED.—A State, or political subdivision of a State, de-10
scribed in this subsection is any State, or political subdivi-11
sion of a State, that has in effect any law, policy, or proce-12
dure that prevents or impedes State or local law enforce-13
ment officials from— 14
(1) timely responding to an immigration notice 15
issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security that 16
requests information about an alien in State or local 17
custody, including the alien’s estimated release date, 18
in order that the Secretary may arrange to assume 19
custody of the alien upon such release; or 20
(2) maintaining custody of an alien for a period 21
of up to 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays 22
and holidays) pursuant to an immigration detainer 23
issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security in 24
order that the alien can be transferred to the cus-25
tody of such Secretary to determine whether the 26
VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:17 Mar 18, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1821.IH H1821
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 3
•HR 1821 IH
alien should be detained, placed in removal pro-1
ceedings, released, or removed. 2
(c) C
ONSTRUCTION.—A political subdivision of a 3
State that is not ineligible under subsection (a) to receive 4
Federal funds, but is part of a State or another unit of 5
government that is so ineligible, may submit, notwith-6
standing any other provision of law, an application for di-7
rect receipt of any funds that the political subdivision oth-8
erwise only would receive through subgrant, allocation, or 9
allotment made by the ineligible State or government unit. 10
Æ
VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:17 Mar 18, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1821.IH H1821
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB