Federal Limits

Limit 01 of nine · Resources

No state resources used

287(g) deputizations: ~135 → 2,127 in eighteen months.

The problem

Washington can’t force a state to carry out federal civil enforcement — so it started paying for it. A DHS salary-and-bounty program effective Oct 1, 2025 now funds local officers per arrest, and deputization agreements jumped roughly fifteenfold to 2,127 in eighteen months. Because paying isn’t compelling, the courts don’t reach it — only a state law declining to take part does.

What the law does

Bars the state’s own officers, money, equipment, and facilities from being used for federal civil enforcement.

Where it stands

Where it stands — all 52 jurisdictions17 of 52 have this limit; 11 at full strength
full partial none red underline = state law mandates cooperation

Methodology v3.4 · scored Jun 10 2026

The model language

“No state or local agency, and no officer, employee, or contractor of any state or local agency, shall use moneys, facilities, property, equipment, supplies, or personnel to investigate, interrogate, detain, detect, report, or arrest any person for purposes of federal civil immigration enforcement.”

— Section 1 · Personnel and Resource Limits, The Federal Limits Act
Read the full model bill →

What we propose

Bar any state or local agency from using money, staff, facilities, or equipment for federal civil enforcement — including honoring civil detainers without a judge’s warrant — while still complying with valid criminal warrants. Model: California SB 54 (§7284.6); Illinois Way Forward Act.

Who’s already done it

16 states + D.C. have a version; 11 at full strength — CA, CO, CT, DC, IL, MA, ME, NJ, NY, OR, WA. California’s SB 54 (2017) is the tested model — challenged in federal court and upheld.

On the record

Status: mixed — courts struck the money-coercion vector; the paid-personnel vector is surging unchecked.

One of nine.
Not the whole fight.

See where your state stands on all nine limits, or read the model bill section that closes this one.

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