Bill Mandates SBA Office Relocations from 'Sanctuary Jurisdictions' Within 60 Days

This bill, the "Save SBA from Sanctuary Cities Act," directs the Small Business Administration (SBA) to pull its offices out of areas designated as 'sanctuary jurisdictions.' Specifically, it requires the SBA Administrator to identify these jurisdictions based on their policies regarding cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and publicly announce them. Once identified, the SBA has just 60 days to relocate any regional, district, or local office from that area to a non-sanctuary location, potentially disrupting services for local entrepreneurs during the move.

What Counts as a 'Sanctuary Jurisdiction'?

The bill defines a 'sanctuary jurisdiction' pretty specifically. It targets state or local governments with laws or policies that stop officials from sharing someone's immigration status with federal authorities or complying with federal requests (like detainers) to hold individuals for immigration reasons. Think of it as places that limit how much local police or officials help ICE. There's a key exception: if a local policy only protects victims or witnesses of crimes from these information-sharing or detainer requests, it doesn't count as a sanctuary jurisdiction under this bill. This definition is crucial because it determines which SBA offices face mandatory relocation.

The 60-Day Clock and Consequences

Once an SBA office is tagged as being in a sanctuary jurisdiction, the clock starts ticking – 60 days to pack up and move. The office must move to a location not in a sanctuary jurisdiction. If the original state isn't a sanctuary state itself, the office has to stay within that state, just in a different town or county. During the relocation period, the office has to temporarily stop operations in that state. If the 60-day deadline is missed, things get serious: the office shuts down completely until the move is done, the office head has to explain the delay in writing (and could be removed if the explanation isn't good enough), and employees get reassigned, potentially out of state if no other non-sanctuary SBA office exists nearby. Furthermore, the bill explicitly forbids the SBA from opening any new offices in sanctuary jurisdictions going forward.

Real-World Impact: Shifting Services and Pressure

So, what does this mean on the ground? For a small business owner in, say, Los Angeles or Chicago (cities often labeled sanctuary jurisdictions), their local SBA office could suddenly shut down and relocate, potentially miles away. Getting face-to-face help with loans, counseling, or navigating federal contracts could become much harder during and after the transition. SBA employees in these offices face uncertainty, with the possibility of being forced to move or find a new role. Beyond the direct impact on businesses and staff, this legislation acts as a lever, putting pressure on state and local governments. By tying the physical presence of federal small business support to local immigration cooperation policies, it forces local leaders to weigh their stance against the potential loss of accessible SBA resources for their constituents.