In the early days of President Donald Trump’s term, two North Carolina lawmakers have renewed efforts to address sanctuary city policies with the reintroduction of the Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act. U.S. Representative Chuck Edwards (NC-11) and U.S. Senator Thom Tillis are leading the initiative, which seeks to establish legal accountability for municipalities that do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts.
The proposed legislation would allow individuals or families affected by crimes committed by undocumented immigrants—who were released from custody despite federal requests for detention—to seek civil damages from local jurisdictions that declined to comply with those requests.
This move aligns with broader policy goals set forth by the Trump administration to address immigration enforcement and promote cooperation between local authorities and federal agencies such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In a joint statement, Sen. Tillis and Rep. Edwards emphasized their belief that public safety can be compromised when local jurisdictions do not honor federal detainer requests or share relevant information with immigration authorities. “These sanctuary jurisdictions have, in some cases, allowed individuals with prior criminal records to reenter communities,” the lawmakers stated.
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