Why it Matters

On September 15, the House Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement held a hearing titled "The Continuing Tragedy Of Sanctuary Laws." In April 2025, Trump signed executive orders targeting sanctuary jurisdictions.

The Big Picture

The subcommittee held the hearing as part of an escalating campaign against sanctuary policies. In April 2025, President Trump signed executive orders directing the Justice Department and Homeland Security to publish a list of noncompliant jurisdictions and target them with potential criminal investigations. By January 2026, Trump announced federal funding cuts starting February 1. Courts have blocked similar moves, ruling the government cannot use funding as coercion.

The hearing came weeks after New York enacted a law banning local law enforcement from cooperating with ICE on civil immigration matters. Sheriff Frederick Akshar and 14 other New York sheriffs sued Governor Kathy Hochul in August, challenging the restrictions. The subcommittee also advanced legislation: H.R. 7640, the Shut Down Sanctuary Policies Act of 2026, was reported favorably in March by a 22-11 vote and would establish federal cooperation requirements and restrict grants to noncompliant jurisdictions.

What They're Saying

The hearing centered on competing visions of federalism and public safety. Subcommittee Chair Tom McClintock framed the issue starkly: sanctuary jurisdictions have refused at least 41,000 ICE detainers over three and a half years, he said, allowing individuals with criminal histories to be released.

Sheriff Akshar argued that sanctuary policies obstruct local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities. When local jails are prohibited from honoring ICE detainers, he contended, individuals with serious criminal histories are released back into communities.

Elizabeth Carter, a mother whose son and daughter-in-law were killed by an undocumented immigrant truck driver in Oregon in November 2025, testified that sanctuary rules stopped prosecutors from working with immigration officers on the case. The driver had been released at the border by the Biden administration, given a work permit, and issued a California commercial driver's license before the crash. ICE lodged a detainer, but Oregon's sanctuary policies prevented it from being honored. The driver was released back into the community and arrested by ICE weeks later.

Naureen Shah, Director of Government Affairs for the ACLU's Equality Division, pushed back on constitutional grounds. She cited the anti-commandeering doctrine from Printz v. United States as a basis for opposing mandatory detainer compliance. Shah also presented research showing sanctuary cities do not have higher crime rates than non-sanctuary cities, and cited data on wrongful detentions of U.S. citizens and legal residents due to erroneous ICE detainer requests.

Political Stakes

The hearing exposed deep partisan divisions. All Democrats on the committee opposed the legislation, according to McClintock. But the issue carries broader political weight: a March 2026 NBC poll showed voters viewed sanctuary cities negatively, 43 percent to 33 percent. According to Third Way, the sanctuary frame lets Republicans paint Democrats as choosing to protect dangerous immigrants over American communities.

For Akshar, the hearing represented vindication in his battle with New York's Democratic governor. He and fellow sheriffs argue the state law ties their hands. For the administration, the hearing advanced a core agenda item: forcing local compliance with federal deportation operations.

McClintock signaled that lawmakers would get a chance to vote on H.R. 7640 before the full House. The majority leader assured him both sides would have that chance before the end of the session.

What's Next

The bill to end sanctuary policies has not yet been taken up on the House floor. McClintock indicated the bill has not yet been taken up but that Republican leadership committed to bringing it to a vote. The Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney was subpoenaed the day after the hearing to produce documents relating to his office's sanctuary policies, signaling continued committee focus on enforcement.

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