The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Vermont restricts federal immigration enforcement access to sensitive locations and government buildings
Last action · January 22, 2026: Read first time and referred to the Committee on JudiciarySponsors: Leonora Dodge and 23 others
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What This Bill Would Do
This bill prohibits employees at s such as schools and health care facilities from granting federal immigration authorities access to nonpublic areas or individual records without a . It also terminates Department of Corrections assistance to federal immigration authorities, bars schools from collecting student immigration status, and adds government buildings to locations protected from .
Schools, health care facilities, and public agencies must change their protocols for handling federal immigration agents, and state correctional facilities must end existing cooperation agreements within 30 days of enactment.
- State-level legislation regarding cooperation with federal immigration authorities has been a subject of ongoing debate and legislative action across various states. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Federal immigration authorities
Federal immigration authorities are required to present a judicial warrant to access nonpublic areas of sensitive locations and are restricted from receiving assistance from the Department of Corrections.
Department of Corrections
The Department of Corrections must submit a report on existing assistance to federal immigration authorities and terminate related agreements within 30 days.
Schools and educational institutions
Schools are prohibited from collecting student immigration status information and must follow protocol for reporting immigration agent visits to school boards.
State residents
State residents gain restrictions against warrantless federal immigration entry in sensitive locations and protection from civil arrests in public agency buildings.
Key Facts
- Employees at sensitive locations cannot grant federal immigration authorities access to nonpublic areas or individual records without a judicial warrant.
- Supervisors at sensitive locations must be the primary authority to review judicial warrants and designate at least one alternate employee.
- The Human Rights Commission, in consultation with the Attorney General, must publish a model policy for sensitive locations on or before April 15, 2027.
- Sensitive locations must adopt the model policy or an equivalent within six months of its publication.
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- The Human Rights Commission must publish guidance for private sector employers regarding nonpublic areas by June 15, 2027.
- The Department of Corrections must submit a written report detailing its cooperation with federal immigration authorities within 30 days after passage.
- The Department of Corrections must terminate existing contracts or agreements with federal immigration authorities within 30 days after passage, except as required by federal law.
- Schools are prohibited from collecting information or documents regarding the citizenship or immigration status of students or family members, except as required by law.
- School superintendents must report any attempts by federal immigration authorities to gain student information or school access to the school board as soon as practicable.
- Government buildings owned or operated by a public agency are added to locations where individuals are not subject to civil arrest, subject to specific exceptions.
- Individuals who knowingly execute a prohibited civil arrest are subject to contempt proceedings and civil liability for false imprisonment, and victims may bring a civil action for damages and attorney's fees.
- The act takes effect on July 1, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is considered a sensitive location under this bill?
Can federal immigration authorities enter a school or hospital without a warrant?
What must the Department of Corrections do under this legislation?
What protections are provided regarding civil arrests in government buildings?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
ICE officer in Maine shooting has history of violent behavior, family and records say
An ICE officer, identified by family members as 37-year-old David Brouillette, is under scrutiny following the fatal shooting of a Colombian national in Biddeford, Maine. Relatives have provided accounts and court records alleging a long history of mental health struggles and violent behavior, raising questions about the vetting processes used during recent federal hiring surges.
ICE arrests 10,000 in 5 days, a sharp late-June surge in Trump's deportation push
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 10,000 individuals over five days in late June, averaging 2,000 arrests per day. This represents a significant increase in daily arrest rates compared to previous months under the current administration.
ICE eyes selling mega-warehouses purchased for mass detention
The Department of Homeland Security is evaluating the potential sale of large warehouses and government-owned aircraft acquired earlier this year for mass immigration detention. These assets, purchased under former Secretary Kristi Noem to support a 100,000-person detention capacity, are being reviewed by current Secretary Markwayne Mullin as part of an agency-wide assessment.
Biden-Released Illegal Alien Accused of Sexually Assaulting Elderly Women at Nursing Home in Wisconsin
An individual released into the U.S. under the Biden administration is accused of sexually assaulting elderly residents at a Wisconsin nursing home. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed a detainer on the suspect, who was employed at the facility in a sanctuary jurisdiction. Officials are urging local authorities to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
DHS unloads on 'sanctuary calamity' Virginia after illegal alien accused of heinous crime released: 'Sicko'
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has criticized Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger and Fairfax County officials for their handling of an illegal immigrant accused of child rape, who was released from local custody despite an ICE detainer. The article highlights a broader conflict between federal immigration authorities and local officials regarding cooperation policies, with DHS labeling the situation a 'sanctuary calamity.' Governor Spanberger’s office maintains that the state cooperates with federal agencies while prioritizing the use of state resources for state law enforcement.
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
1 action- Jan 22, 2026HouseIntroducedRead first time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →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.
Sponsors
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Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Comprehensive State-Level Limitation on Immigration Enforcement
The bill coordinates restrictions across multiple legal domains, including sensitive public locations, corrections agency agreements, school data collection, and civil arrest privileges in public buildings.
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.vermont.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy90Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment15Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz70Current news / social attention level
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