Michigan Senate Bill SB0042

Michigan 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/4/25
• Refer: 2/4/25

Caption

Law enforcement: other; law enforcement immigration enforcement support grant; provide for. Creates new act. TIE BAR WITH: SB 43'25

Summary

Senate Bill 42 creates the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Support Fund in the state treasury and establishes a grant program to help local law enforcement agencies participate in immigration enforcement-related programs. The fund may receive money or other assets from any source, and investment earnings remain in the fund rather than lapsing to the general fund. The Department of Treasury would administer the fund for auditing purposes and would be responsible for posting grant application instructions and awarding grants on an annual schedule. The bill directs grant money to be used for implementing and enforcing the companion immigration enforcement support act, including administrative costs. Under the bill’s priority structure, the department must first award enough funding for each law enforcement agency to train three officers to participate in an enforcement program or a related subsequent program. After that, additional grants may be awarded based on the population served by each agency, and agencies may also receive up to $15,000 per officer as an incentive for participation. The bill is tie-barred to Senate Bill 43, meaning it would not take effect unless that related bill is enacted.

Impact

If enacted, SB 42 would add a new dedicated state fund and grant mechanism to Michigan law governing law enforcement support for immigration enforcement cooperation. It would give the Department of Treasury administrative and auditing responsibilities, set application and award deadlines, and create a statutory formula for distributing money to local law enforcement agencies. The bill would affect state treasury operations, local police and sheriff agencies seeking grants, and officers eligible for training or incentive payments.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the available record. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears designed to support immigration enforcement cooperation through financial incentives, which typically draws support from proponents of stronger enforcement and concern from critics of local participation in federal immigration enforcement. The tie-bar to SB 43 suggests the bill is part of a broader legislative package rather than a standalone proposal.

Contention

The main points of contention likely center on whether state funds should be used to encourage local law enforcement participation in immigration enforcement programs, and whether the incentive structure is appropriate. Supporters would likely emphasize training, coordination, and public safety, while opponents may object to using state money for immigration enforcement, the potential impact on community trust, and the role of local agencies in federal immigration matters. The requirement to first fund training for three officers per agency and then provide per-officer incentives may also raise questions about fairness, distribution, and fiscal priorities.