An act relating to immigration enforcement
H.850 would restrict cooperation between Vermont state institutions and federal immigration authorities in two main ways. First, it creates a new rule for “sensitive locations” — schools, health care facilities, public libraries, and child care facilities — requiring a judicial warrant before a federal immigration authority may enter a nonpublic area, and directing employees not to grant access without that warrant. The bill also requires a supervisor, or a designated alternate, to review any warrant presented at such a location.
Second, the bill narrows the Department of Corrections’ authority to assist federal immigration authorities. It amends the Department’s statutory powers to exclude assistance to federal immigration authorities, bars agreements or cooperative arrangements with them, and prohibits the Commissioner from accepting federal funds from those authorities. The bill also requires the Department to report on any existing cooperation, financial impacts, and resource implications, and then terminate existing contracts or agreements within 30 days after enactment, except where federal law requires otherwise. The act would take effect July 1, 2026.
The bill would amend Vermont law governing peace officers and the Department of Corrections by adding a new section on federal immigration authorities and revising the Department’s statutory powers. It would create enforceable limits on access to certain public-facing facilities and would formally remove immigration-enforcement cooperation from the Department of Corrections’ authorized functions, while also restricting the Department’s ability to enter agreements or accept funds tied to federal immigration authorities. The bill would affect schools, health care facilities, public libraries, child care facilities, correctional administration, and any state or local employees responsible for responding to immigration enforcement activity.
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes, the measure appears to be framed as a protective, immigration-restriction bill aimed at limiting state participation in federal immigration enforcement. The overall tone of the proposal suggests support for keeping sensitive public institutions insulated from immigration enforcement actions and for reducing state correctional cooperation with federal immigration authorities. No formal vote history or transcript evidence is available here to show organized opposition or support, but the structure of the bill indicates a policy preference for noncooperation.
The main points of contention are likely to be the warrant requirement at sensitive locations and the prohibition on Department of Corrections cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Supporters would likely view these provisions as necessary to protect access to schools, health care, libraries, and child care facilities and to limit immigration enforcement in spaces serving the public. Opponents would likely argue that the bill interferes with federal immigration enforcement, could complicate law-enforcement coordination, and may create operational burdens for facility staff and corrections officials, especially where federal law or existing agreements are implicated.