Why This Hearing, Why Now

The Senate Budget Committee sanctuary cities hearing on March 10 lands at a moment when the federal government's posture toward local jurisdictions that limit cooperation with immigration authorities has become one of the sharpest fault lines in American politics. Chaired by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), the March 2026 sanctuary cities hearing arrives amid an intensifying national clash over immigration enforcement — one that has drawn fatal confrontations between ICE agents and civilians, billions in proposed new enforcement funding, and a lobbying blitz from organizations on both sides spending millions to shape federal sanctuary city policy.

Congressional communications from the weeks leading up to the hearing paint a picture of escalating tension. On February 23, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) voted against a Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill that included an additional $28 billion for ICE, stating: "There's no way I could vote to give ICE more money... They are not making our communities safer. They are terrorizing families, kidnapping people, and killing U.S. citizens."

On February 18, 71 House Democrats pressed the Secretary of Education about the impact of immigration enforcement on students, highlighting an ICE confrontation at Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis in which an agent reportedly fatally shot Renée Good. The letter stated that "ICE tactics are causing undeniable harm to students, harm that will likely lead to years of trauma in school communities."

On February 23, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) released a statement on immigration enforcement killing another Minnesota resident, calling it "an execution by immigration enforcement."

These events form the backdrop against which the Senate Budget Committee is convening its sanctuary cities congressional hearing — a proceeding that could influence future legislative actions regarding immigration policy and federal funding for cities that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

The Lobbying Machine Behind the Hearing

Lobbying disclosures reveal that sanctuary cities lobbying disclosures have surged over the past four quarters, with one bill at the center of the storm: H.R. 32, the No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act, along with its Senate companion, S. 707. The legislation would make sanctuary jurisdictions that provide benefits to undocumented immigrants ineligible for certain federal funds.

H.R. 32 appears in lobbying filings from organizations across the political spectrum, spanning all four quarters from the first quarter of 2025 through the first quarter of 2026.

Organizations opposing sanctuary city enforcement measures have been particularly active:

  • The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) reported spending $90,000 per quarter through lobbying firm NVG LLC on issues including H.R. 32 and immigration enforcement funding — a total estimated spend exceeding $360,000 over the period.

  • The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed disclosures across multiple quarters at $60,000 per quarter, lobbying against H.R. 32 and other enforcement bills including the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act.

  • The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights spent between $50,000 and $60,000 per quarter lobbying on the same legislation.

  • The Southern Poverty Law Center reported $50,000 in the first quarter of 2025 lobbying on H.R. 32 alongside voting rights and criminal justice reform issues.

  • America's Voice reported $30,000 in the first quarter of 2025 for outreach and monitoring related to H.R. 32 and the Laken Riley Act.

On the enforcement side, NumbersUSA Action Inc. reported spending $90,000 per quarter on issues pertaining to immigration reform, border security, and immigration law enforcement.

One filing stands out for the direct stakes it represents: the City of New Orleans reported spending $20,000 in the fourth quarter of 2025 through Thorn Run Partners, lobbying specifically on its "designation as a sanctuary city." Municipal governments are not just observers of this debate — they are active participants trying to protect their policy choices and federal funding.

NVG LLC emerges as the dominant lobbying firm in this space, representing a coalition that includes the ACLU, SEIU, Leadership Conference, SPLC, and the Center for Community Change Action — all opposing sanctuary city enforcement measures.

The Broader Congressional and Administration Context

The hearing does not exist in isolation. It connects to a web of legislative activity across both chambers.

The Laken Riley Act (H.R. 29 / S. 5), which requires DHS to take into custody aliens charged with certain crimes, has been a parallel lobbying target and represents the enforcement-first posture that sanctuary city opponents are pushing back against.

On February 11, Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ) backed the Stop Excessive Force in Immigration Act and the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act, legislation that would restrict crowd munitions, require body cameras for immigration agents, and protect sensitive locations like schools and hospitals from enforcement actions. Stanton stated: "Federal immigration agents must be held to the same constitutional standards as every other law enforcement officer."

On February 13, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) led 43 Catholic Democratic members of Congress in releasing a statement of principles on immigration, criticizing ICE and CBP: "Their actions have separated families, removed law abiding individuals from our communities, and tragically, contributed to the deaths of detained migrants and citizens."

On February 10, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) introduced the Fundamental Immigration Fairness Act, which would prohibit DHS from arresting individuals at immigration hearings and appointments.

Meanwhile, Republican members have pushed enforcement-oriented legislation. On February 11, Rep. Brad Finstad (R-MN) introduced the Preserving Integrity in Immigration Benefits Act, requiring review of all immigration benefit requests approved after January 20, 2021, for high-risk countries.

What to Watch at the Hearing

The Senate Budget Committee's jurisdiction gives this hearing a specific angle: the fiscal implications of sanctuary city policies. The committee is positioned to examine how sanctuary jurisdictions affect federal spending, whether through law enforcement costs, federal grant eligibility, or the broader fiscal relationship between Washington and cities that limit cooperation with immigration authorities.

The committee's membership guarantees a contentious proceeding. The Republican majority includes Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), and Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) — all vocal proponents of stricter immigration enforcement. The Democratic side includes Ranking Member Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who can be expected to challenge the framing.

What This Means for the Public

The outcome of this hearing could shape whether Congress moves to condition federal funding on local cooperation with immigration enforcement — a policy that would directly affect municipal budgets, local law enforcement priorities, and immigrant communities in cities across the country. With lobbying expenditures on sanctuary city issues running into the millions of dollars over the past year and fatal enforcement incidents fueling public debate, the March 10 proceeding is a pressure point in a fight with no signs of cooling.

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