Sanctuary Cities Aren't Going to Like This Bill

House Republicans are pushing a measure that would allow citizens to sue sanctuary cities and states for damage caused by illegal immigrants.

The bill passed through the House Judiciary Committee in September and could be headed for a floor vote, according to Just the News:

The Shut Down Sanctuary Policies Act passed through the House Judiciary Committee with little fanfare last month, creating a path for GOP lawmakers to impose the toughest crackdown yet on states and cities that refuse to turn over illegal immigrants under federal detainers or outright release migrants in their custody.

The bill’s most poignant weapon creates a right of private action for victims and families of victims to sue the municipalities and officials who released violent offenders, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, told Just the News.

The provision would strip some of the civil immunity that state and local officials enjoy. Currently, in some jurisdictions, those officials enjoy "absolute immunity," which is the broadest form of the doctrine. 

“It allows people who've been harmed, where local political leaders tell the local law enforcement they can't work with federal law enforcement, detainers aren't honored … to go take that city, take that state to court, and say, 'look, this was ridiculous. What happened and was so wrong, so tragic,'" Jordan explained.

"So we got a good deal that we worked long and hard on. We just got to try to get it passed in the lame duck [period]," he added.

🚨 Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA), chairing a House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing titled "Sanctuary Policies: Victims' Perspectives," described the funeral of Shalini Thakur, 38, a Sacramento woman fatally shot outside a Panera Bread by a man authorities identified as Rohit Rohit, 22, an Indian national who entered the U.S. illegally in 2023 and was released into the country under the Biden administration. McClintock described Thakur as an only child whose parents emigrated from India and whose father died two years ago. He said her mother, speaking through tears, told reporters her daughter's life was not protected despite repeated calls to police, stating, "She could have been saved. She told police so many times." McClintock said the mother now plans to return to India, which he said she believes will be safer for her than Sacramento. McClintock attributed Thakur's death to California's sanctuary law, the California Values Act, which prohibits local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement. He said the House would soon take up his Shut Down Sanctuary Policies Act, which passed out of committee in March and would redirect federal law enforcement grants away from sanctuary jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with ICE. The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office said Rohit had stalked Thakur since July, placed an AirTag on her car, and broke into her home while she slept, despite a restraining order she had obtained against him. Responding officers pursued Rohit after the shooting, and authorities said he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. What are your thoughts on sanctuary policies and public safety? 👇 #ShaliniThakur #SanctuaryCity #ImmigrationEnforcement #California #TomMcClintock #Breaking

— Lincoln Media Foundation (@LincolnMediaHQ) September 20, 2026

Republican Rep. Tom McClintock (CA-5) introduced the bill in February. House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (OH-4) told Just the News that he wants to pass the bill in the lame-duck session after the midterms.

The bill would also require the Department of Homeland Security to issue detainers for people arrested for criminal or motor-vehicle offenses. It would strip federal funds from localities that refuse to cooperate and grant federal immunity to officers who do.

The bill comes after Rohit Rohit, an Indian national released under former President Joe Biden, stalked and killed 38-year-old Shalini Thaker in a Sacramento parking lot. Jordan pointed to DHS figures showing 201,340 detainers issued in 2025, with 17,864 declined; and DHS data reported this week show New York alone refused to honor 16,070 ICE detainers from Jan. 20, 2025, through Oct. 8, 2026. 

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