No Community Development Block Grants for Sanctuary Cities Act
Summary
HB3987, titled the No Community Development Block Grants for Sanctuary Cities Act, would amend the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to make “sanctuary jurisdictions” ineligible for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). The bill defines a sanctuary jurisdiction as a state or local government that restricts information-sharing about immigration status or limits compliance with certain Department of Homeland Security detainer or release-notification requests under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
The bill also includes an exception so that a jurisdiction would not be treated as a sanctuary jurisdiction solely because it declines to share information or comply with detainer-related requests when the individual is a victim or witness to a criminal offense. In addition to changing the definition section of the housing law, the bill would add a new grant-eligibility condition requiring CDBG recipients to certify that they are not sanctuary jurisdictions and will not become one during the grant period.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would directly affect eligibility for federal Community Development Block Grants under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. State and local governments identified as sanctuary jurisdictions would be barred from receiving these funds, which are commonly used for housing, infrastructure, neighborhood revitalization, and other community development activities. The bill would also create a new federal funding condition tied to immigration-enforcement cooperation, potentially affecting municipal policies on information sharing, detainers, and release notifications.
Sentiment
No committee debate or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of legislative sentiment from hearings or floor action. Based on the bill text and title, the measure appears to reflect a restrictive, enforcement-oriented approach to immigration policy and federal grant eligibility. The absence of votes or transcripts means public support or opposition cannot be measured from the available record.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the bill’s use of federal housing and community development funding to pressure state and local immigration policies. Supporters would likely argue that jurisdictions should cooperate with federal immigration authorities to remain eligible for federal grants, while opponents would likely argue that the bill penalizes local governments for adopting sanctuary policies and could discourage victims and witnesses from engaging with law enforcement. The bill’s narrow exception for victims and witnesses suggests an attempt to address public-safety concerns, but it may still be disputed over how sanctuary jurisdiction is defined and whether the funding penalty is appropriate.