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To deny Federal funding to any State or political subdivision of a State that has in effect any law, policy, or procedure that prevents or impedes a State or local law enforcement official from maintaining custody of an alien pursuant to an immigration detainer issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill denies federal funding to states and local governments that have laws or policies preventing them from responding to federal immigration detainers or notices issued by the Department of Homeland Security. Specifically, states and localities would become ineligible for federal funds if they prevent law enforcement from responding to DHS notices about aliens in custody or from holding aliens for up to 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) based on immigration detainers. The bill allows political subdivisions within an ineligible state to apply directly for federal funding that they would normally receive through the state. The funding restrictions apply to fiscal years beginning after the bill's enactment.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41] (R-CA)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Ken Calvert’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- NULL $84,517
- LOCKHEED MARTIN $48,500
- L3 HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES $34,000
- GENERAL DYNAMICS $27,100
- INNOVATIVE FEDERAL STRATEGIES $26,400
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Ken Calvert → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Mar 4, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. · house
- Mar 4, 2025 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 4, 2025
Mr. Calvert introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To deny Federal funding to any State or political subdivision of a State that has in effect any law, policy, or procedure that prevents or impedes a State or local law enforcement official from maintaining custody of an alien pursuant to an immigration detainer issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the—
(1) “Help Ensure Legal Detainers Act”; or
(2) “HELD Act”.
SEC. 2. DENIAL OF FEDERAL FUNDING TO STATES AND UNITS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT FAIL TO RESPOND TO IMMIGRATION DETAINERS.
(a) In General.—With respect to fiscal years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act, no Federal funds may be used to assist any project or activity carried out by a State, or a political subdivision of a State, described in subsection (b).
(b) States and Political Subdivisions Described.—A State, or political subdivision of a State, described in this subsection is any State, or political subdivision of a State, that has in effect any law, policy, or procedure that prevents or impedes State or local law enforcement officials from—
(1) timely responding to an immigration notice issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security that requests information about an alien in State or local custody, including the alien’s estimated release date, in order that the Secretary may arrange to assume custody of the alien upon such release; or
(2) maintaining custody of an alien for a period of up to 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) pursuant to an immigration detainer issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security in order that the alien can be transferred to the custody of such Secretary to determine whether the alien should be detained, placed in removal proceedings, released, or removed.
(c) Construction.—A political subdivision of a State that is not ineligible under subsection (a) to receive Federal funds, but is part of a State or another unit of government that is so ineligible, may submit, notwithstanding any other provision of law, an application for direct receipt of any funds that the political subdivision otherwise only would receive through subgrant, allocation, or allotment made by the ineligible State or government unit. <all>
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