District of Columbia Federal Immigration Compliance Act of 2025

What is this bill?

• HR 2056, sponsored by Clay Higgins (R-LA-3)

• S 1522, sponsored by Bill Hagerty (R-TN)

As is fascist tradition, this bill is ridiculously short. Coming in at a little over one page, this bill would make it illegal for the District of Columbia (aka Washington DC, aka the Douglass Commonwealth) to enact any sanctuary city statues. There is an exception for protecting immigrants that have come forward as victims of crimes, but considering the state of CBP, DHS, and ICE, I have my doubts that they care.

This week’s theme are bills specifically aimed at DC, so first I need to dive into what makes the District such an odd 68 square miles. Most notably, DC is not a state. As such it doesn’t have voting representation in Congress, but it does get 3 electoral votes for presidential elections. DC is allowed to pass their own laws, but Congress retains the right to overturn any laws they may pass. Past examples of laws that Congress has overturned have been expanding Medicaid to cover abortion services (1988), blocking a clean needle exchange program (1996), and most recently overturning a ban on mandatory minimum sentencing (2023). DC also doesn’t control their own branch of the National Guard & is the only branch that is directly controlled by the president.

It should also be noted that back in February, Representative Andy Ogles and Senator Mike Lee both introduced bills to end DC’s Home Rule Charter, which would revoke the District from making any laws or governing local affairs. If passed, this would give the president and Congress complete purview of the capital. That said, neither bill has been scheduled for a vote.

What makes this bill fascist?

Simply that the current administration has made it abundantly clear that they want a full assault against immigrants, no matter the cost. I stated before in the article on the Save SBA from Sanctuary Cities Act that the term ‘sanctuary city’ isn’t universally defined and that it’s not difficult at all for ICE to get around such statutes. So a bill like this is more about sending a message while also chipping away at the remaining rights of immigrants.

What Dems voted for this bill?

• House (11 Dems)

  • Ed Case (HI-2)

  • Henry Cuellar (TX-28)

  • Don Davis (NC-1)

  • Laura Gillen (NY-4)

  • Jared Golden (ME-2)

  • Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34)

  • Adam Gray (CA-13)

  • Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-8)

  • Marie Glusenkamp Perez (WA-3)

  • Tom Suozzi (NY-3)

  • George Whitesides (CA-27)

Did it pass?

• Passed the House on 6/12/25 by a vote of 224-194