HR1680-119

What This Bill Does

The UPLIFT Act is an immigration-enforcement cooperation bill. Its purpose section cites transnational criminal organizations such as Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa Cartel, and MS-13 and says sanctuary jurisdictions should cooperate with the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security. It rewrites 8 U.S.C. 1373 to bar any federal, state, or local government entity or individual from restricting officials or personnel from complying with U.S. immigration laws or assisting federal enforcement. It also expands protected information-sharing and enforcement activities relating to citizenship, immigration status, inadmissibility, deportability, custody, release, and criminal history. Separately, it rewrites INA section 287(d) to authorize DHS detainers after arrests when the Secretary has probable cause to believe the person is inadmissible or deportable, including biometric matches, database records, ongoing removal proceedings, final removal orders, or other specified grounds.

Who Benefits and How

Department of Homeland Security immigration officers benefit because local and state personnel could not be barred from cooperation or assistance. Federal law enforcement agencies benefit from broader information-sharing and detainer authority. Immigration-enforcement supporters benefit because sanctuary policies are constrained by federal statute. Local residents concerned about transnational criminal organizations benefit if increased cooperation improves removal of arrested deportable individuals.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Sanctuary jurisdictions must repeal or ignore policies that restrict immigration-law cooperation. State and local law enforcement agencies must allow personnel to share information and assist federal immigration enforcement. Immigrant residents face increased detention or removal risk after arrests when DHS issues detainers. Local officials opposing federal immigration enforcement lose authority to limit personnel cooperation.

Key Provisions

• Bars government entities and individuals from restricting cooperation with federal immigration laws.
• Expands protected information-sharing and enforcement activities under 8 U.S.C. 1373.
• Authorizes DHS detainers after arrests when probable cause supports inadmissibility or deportability.
• Defines probable-cause grounds using biometric matches, federal databases, removal proceedings, and final removal orders.