To provide for relocation of certain Federal office space located in sanctuary jurisdictions and to prohibit establishment or occupation of any Federal office space in a sanctuary jurisdiction, and for other purposes.
Introduced June 11, 2026 · Last action June 11, 2026
Plain English Summary
This bill requires the federal government to relocate office buildings and facilities currently located in 'sanctuary jurisdictions' (cities and states that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement) and prohibits the federal government from establishing or occupying any new federal office space in those jurisdictions. The bill effectively removes federal government operations from sanctuary jurisdictions.
Who benefits
Sponsor's state of Alabama and other non-sanctuary jurisdictions that may receive relocated federal offices and associated employment; federal immigration enforcement agencies (ICE, CBP) seeking to operate in jurisdictions with full local cooperation; construction and real estate industries in non-sanctuary areas that would handle office relocation projects; conservative-leaning municipalities and states seeking to pressure sanctuary jurisdictions through economic punishment
Who pays / loses
Federal employees working in sanctuary jurisdiction offices who face potential job relocation or displacement; local economies in major sanctuary cities (New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington DC) that lose federal government employment, contracts, and economic activity; real estate owners and commercial property managers in sanctuary jurisdictions who lose federal tenants; contractors and service providers dependent on federal office occupancy in sanctuary cities; sanctuary cities and states that depend on federal payroll spending and tax revenue
Funding & Lobbying Interests
The sponsor (Rep. Barry Moore, R-AL) received $408,907 from 'Other' sources and smaller amounts from finance, energy, construction, and agriculture sectors in the 2024 cycle, with zero PAC contributions. The bill aligns with anti-immigration enforcement priorities that appeal to conservative donors. No specific lobbying groups or companies are identified as backing this bill, but it serves the interests of federal immigration enforcement agencies (which lobby for expanded enforcement authority), conservative think tanks and advocacy groups focused on immigration restriction, and non-sanctuary jurisdictions competing for federal spending relocations.
Political Impact
Affected Groups
Approximately 2.7+ million federal civilian employees, with concentrated impacts on those stationed in major sanctuary cities like New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago; residents of sanctuary jurisdictions who depend on federal government employment (estimated hundreds of thousands across major sanctuary cities); immigrant advocacy organizations and legal service providers in sanctuary jurisdictions; local governments in sanctuary cities that receive federal contracts and grants; construction workers and commercial real estate professionals in sanctuary vs. non-sanctuary areas
Political Subtext
Proponents frame this as enforcing federal immigration law and punishing jurisdictions that obstruct immigration enforcement; they argue sanctuary policies undermine national security and rule of law. Critics argue the bill is unconstitutional (targeting states based on their immigration policies violates principles of cooperative federalism and may run afoul of anti-commandeering doctrine), economically destructive to major cities and their regions, and uses federal spending as a coercive tool to force state and local compliance with federal immigration enforcement. The non-partisan evidence on sanctuary policies themselves is mixed: research shows sanctuary policies do not significantly increase crime (contradicting enforcement advocates' claims) and do correlate with improved trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement, but the constitutionality of using federal real estate withdrawal as enforcement leverage has not been definitively litigated.
Real-World Stakes
If this passes, the federal government would relocate thousands of offices and tens of thousands of jobs out of sanctuary cities—the largest being Washington DC (which is de facto a sanctuary jurisdiction), New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago. Economic impacts would be severe: federal payroll spending in these cities would decline significantly, local tax revenues would drop, commercial real estate values would decline, and local contractors and service providers would lose federal contracts. This has no direct historical precedent at federal scale, though it mirrors state-level budget cuts used to punish jurisdictions with disfavored policies. The constitutionality is highly uncertain—courts have previously struck down conditional federal spending schemes that are deemed coercive (South Dakota v. Dole, NFIB v. Sebelius). A CBO score was not provided in the bill text, but the relocation costs and economic disruption would likely be substantial. The bill creates a legal test case for whether the federal government can use real estate and employment as a coercive tool to override state and local policy choices.
Sponsor
Vote Record
No recorded votes.
Campaign Finance — Primary Sponsor
Top contributing industries
Other$408,907.06
Finance$7,800
Energy$7,350
Construction$5,500
Agriculture$5,250
501(c)(4) disclosure: Contributions from 501(c)(4) "dark money" organizations are not required to be publicly disclosed and are not reflected in the figures above. Data sourced from FEC public disclosure filings.
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