Rep. Arrington to file SHIELD Act on DHS interference
House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington (R‑Texas) will introduce the SHIELD Act on Friday to bar state and local authorities from arresting federal immigration officers and to cut off federal funding to jurisdictions that obstruct or prosecute them. Arrington told Fox News the bill responds to recent city and state moves to impede DHS operations, pledging to ‘stand up for the rule of law’ and impose full funding penalties for any such obstruction.
📌 Key Facts
- Bill name: SHIELD Act (Safeguarding Homeland Immigration Enforcement from Local Detention).
- Would prohibit state/local arrests of federal agents and strip all federal funds from any jurisdiction that obstructs or prosecutes them even once.
- Arrington cites recent actions like Chicago’s ‘ICE‑Free Zones’ and California discussions of detaining federal officers as rationale.
📊 Relevant Data
The unauthorized immigrant population in the United States reached a record 14 million in 2023, up from 11 million in 2022.
Record 14 Million Unauthorized Immigrants Lived in the US in 2023 — Pew Research Center
Immigration is projected to overtake natural increase as the primary driver of U.S. population growth beginning in 2030, contributing to greater racial and ethnic diversity, with more than half of the population projected to belong to a minority group (any group other than non-Hispanic White) by 2044.
Population Projections for 2020 to 2060 — U.S. Census Bureau
Net immigration to the United States is projected to total 2.0 million people in 2025, decreasing to 1.5 million in 2026, and averaging 1.1 million per year from 2027 onward, influencing demographic changes.
The Demographic Outlook: 2025 to 2055 — Congressional Budget Office