Tillis, GOP contingent announce forthcoming bicameral immigrant detainer bill

U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) plans to introduce the Immigration Detainer Enforcement Act this week in Congress.

Sen. Tillis was joined last week in Charlotte, N.C., with U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and U.S. Reps. Dan Bishop (R-NC), Ted Budd (R-NC), and Richard Hudson (R-NC) to announce that they will formally introduce the bill this week in efforts to clarify the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) detainer authority.

Specifically, according to a summary of the bill provided by Sen. Tillis’ office, explicit authority would be authorized to the arresting federal, state, tribal, or local law enforcement agency to maintain custody of an illegal immigrant for a period not to exceed 48 hours to permit assumption of custody by the DHS, upon the issuance of a detainer.

Additionally, the bill would permit the federal government to enter agreements with the arresting law enforcement agency to indemnify the agencies against wrongful detention claims by third parties that resulted from a detainer issued without reason to believe the individual is a removable illegal immigrant, among other provisions, according to the summary.

Recently, there has been an unwillingness by localities across the nation to assist the federal government with its immigration enforcement responsibilities, according to Sen. Tillis’ office, including in North Carolina, for instance, where some sheriffs have implemented sanctuary policies by refusing to honor detainer requests made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.