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HB 2372KANSASSession 2025-2026State BillBecame law over the governor's veto
Enacted

Kansas Law Authorizes County Jails to Enforce ICE Detainers and Requires State to Cover Civil Judgments

Original title: AN ACT concerning law enforcement; creating the crime of unlawful approach of a first responder and providing penalties therefor; requiring traffic laws that apply to local and state law enforcement to apply to federal law enforcement; including federal law enforcement in the definitions used in the crime of interference with law enforcement; including buildings owned by the United States in the crime of interference with the conduct of public business in public buildings; including enforcement of federal laws and executive orders in the exceptions from liability in the tort claims act; relating to the enforcement of detainers issued by the United States immigration and customs enforcement by a county sheriff operating a county jail; requiring municipal insurance pools to provide coverage of law enforcement agencies enforcing federal law; requiring the state to pay certain judgments in federal civil actions and provide legal representation by the attorney general; exempting section 287(g) agreements from certain provisions of the interlocal cooperation act; amending K.S.A. 8-1404, 8-2010, 12-2904, 21-5904 and 21-5922 and K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 8-1102 and 75-6104 and repealing the existing sections.

Last action · April 9, 2026: Enrolled and presented to Governor on Monday, March 30, 2026

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Does

County sheriffs in Kansas operating local jails are authorized to detain individuals based on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer requests without criminal charges. The measure mandates municipal insurance pools to cover law enforcement agencies enforcing federal laws, requires the state to pay certain federal civil judgments against 287(g) participating agencies acting in good faith, and exempts ICE 287(g) agreements from standard interlocal cooperation act procedures.

Why it matters

Local jails gain explicit state authorization to hold individuals on federal immigration requests, while local law enforcement agencies and municipal insurers receive mandatory liability and legal representation protections for federal cooperation.

Background
  • Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act permits state and local law enforcement entities to enter into agreements with federal authorities to perform designated immigration enforcement functions. context
  • ICE form I-247A is an administrative immigration detainer used by federal authorities to request that local law enforcement agencies maintain custody of an individual beyond their scheduled release date. context

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

County sheriffs

Sheriffs receive explicit authority to detain individuals on ICE detainers, are exempt from county commission approval requirements for 287(g) agreements, and must follow mandatory notification and release procedures.

Directly affected

County jail inmates

Individuals in county jails may be held without criminal charges based on ICE detainer requests and must be provided with detainer notices and copies of form I-247A.

Directly affected

Municipal insurance pools

Pools issuing liability coverage for law enforcement must extend coverage to federal law enforcement operations and provide legal representation when federal or state agencies do not.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a county sheriff in Kansas hold someone on an ICE detainer without criminal charges?
Yes, the act explicitly authorizes sheriffs operating a jail to detain a person with a ICE or warrant without criminal charges to transfer custody to ICE.
When is a sheriff required to release a person held on an immigration detainer?
A sheriff must release the person if they receive a cancellation notice, determine the detainer does not meet statutory requirements, or if the person provides proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence.
Who pays for judgments if a law enforcement agency is sued in a federal civil action under a 287(g) program?
The state of Kansas is required to pay judgment costs or portions thereof that the United States Department of Justice fails to cover, provided the agency or officer acted in good faith.
Does a sheriff need approval from the county commissioners to sign a section 287(g) agreement with ICE?
No, the act exempts sheriffs from specific interlocal cooperation provisions, allowing them to sign a section 287(g) agreement without further authorization from the board of county commissioners.

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Where This Stands

Current status: Became law over the governor's veto.

Procedural history

28 actions
  1. Apr 9, 2026House
    Enrolled and presented to Governor on Monday, March 30, 2026
  2. Apr 9, 2026House
    Vetoed by Governor; Returned to on Wednesday, April 8, 2026
  3. Apr 9, 2026HouseFloor
    Motion to override veto prevailed
  4. Apr 9, 2026SenateFloor
    Motion to override veto prevailed
  5. Mar 27, 2026HouseFloor
    Conference Committee Report was adopted
  6. Mar 26, 2026Senate
    Conference committee report now available
Show 22 earlier actions
  1. Mar 26, 2026SenateFloor
    Conference Committee Report agree to disagree adopted; Senator Thompson, Senator Blew, Senator Faust Goudeau, , appointed as second conferees
  2. Mar 26, 2026HouseFloor
    Conference Committee Report agree to disagree adopted; Representative Kessler, Representative Schmoe, Representative Meyer, , appointed as second conferees
  3. Mar 26, 2026Senate
    Conference committee report now available
  4. Mar 26, 2026SenateFloor
    Conference Committee Report was adopted
  5. Mar 24, 2026SenateFloor
    Motion to accede adopted; Senator Thompson, Senator Blew, Senator Faust Goudeau, , appointed as conferees
  6. Mar 23, 2026House
    Nonconcurred with amendments; Conference Committee requested; appointed , and
  7. Mar 19, 2026SenateFloor
    Final Action - Substitute passed
  8. Mar 18, 2026Senate
    Committee of the Whole - Now working on
  9. Mar 18, 2026SenateFloor
    Committee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted recommending substitute bill be passed
  10. Mar 18, 2026SenateFloor
    Committee of the Whole - Substitute bill be passed
  11. Mar 10, 2026SenateFloor
    Committee Report recommending substitute bill be passed by
  12. Mar 6, 2025SenateCommittee
    Referred to Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs
  13. Mar 5, 2025House
    Engrossed on Wednesday, March 5, 2025
  14. Mar 5, 2025HouseFloor
    Final Action - Passed as amended
  15. Mar 5, 2025SenateIntroduced
    Received and Introduced
  16. Mar 4, 2025House
    Committee of the Whole - Now working on
  17. Mar 4, 2025HouseFloor
    Committee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted
  18. Mar 4, 2025HouseFloor
    Committee of the Whole - Be passed as amended
  19. Feb 27, 2025HouseFloor
    Committee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by
  20. Feb 17, 2025House
    Hearing: Monday, February 17, 2025, 9:00 AM — Room 346-S
  21. Feb 11, 2025HouseIntroduced
    Introduced
  22. Feb 11, 2025HouseCommittee
    Referred to House Committee on Federal and State Affairs

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Expansion of Local Jail Cooperation with Federal Immigration Authorities

The legislation establishes explicit statutory authority and standardized criteria for Kansas county sheriffs to enforce ICE detainers without criminal charges, backed by state and municipal financial protections.

United States immigration and customs enforcementKansas office of the attorney general

Connected Entities

Kansas office of the attorney general, United States department of justice, Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs and 1 more
OrganizationKansas office of the attorney general“State office tasked with providing legal representation in certain civil actions”Map →
OrganizationUnited States department of justice“Federal department involved in covering judgment costs and providing legal repre”Map →
OrganizationSenate Committee on Federal and State Affairs“Committee sponsoring Senate Substitute for HB 2372.”Map →
OrganizationUnited States immigration and customs enforcement“Federal agency issuing detainer requests and entering into 287(g) programs.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.kslegislature.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance85
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy90
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz65
    Current news / social attention level

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