This bill mandates real-time criminal conviction data sharing for noncitizens, expands expedited removal for those with felonies or two misdemeanors, shortens appeal windows in removal cases, and penalizes sanctuary jurisdictions with highway funding cuts while incentivizing cooperation.
Tom Cotton
Senator
AR
The Deportation Acceleration Act mandates real-time sharing of noncitizen criminal convictions with immigration authorities to immediately initiate removal proceedings. It expands the use of expedited removal for noncitizens with a felony or two misdemeanors and shortens appeal windows in criminal removal cases. Furthermore, the bill incentivizes cooperation from local jurisdictions while penalizing "sanctuary jurisdictions" by withholding federal highway funds.
Deportation Acceleration Act Mandates 24-Hour Conviction Reporting and Slashes Appeal Deadlines to 30 Days
The Deportation Acceleration Act is a high-speed overhaul of how the U.S. handles noncitizens with criminal records. At its core, the bill requires state and local law enforcement to report any criminal conviction of a noncitizen to the Department of Homeland Security within 24 hours. Once that data hits the federal system, the government is mandated to immediately start removal proceedings by issuing a Notice to Appear or an immigration detainer. This isn't just for major crimes; it creates a digital dragnet designed to trigger the deportation process the moment a judge signs a conviction order.
The New Math of Removal
Under Section 3, the bill significantly lowers the bar for who qualifies for 'expedited removal'—a fast-track process that bypasses much of the traditional court system. Currently, this is often reserved for specific serious crimes, but the new standard would apply to any noncitizen with a single felony or just two misdemeanors. This change is retroactive, meaning a conviction from ten years ago could suddenly put someone in the fast lane for deportation today. For a construction worker or a software dev here on a visa, two minor specialized offenses—think certain driving or property disputes—could now trigger the same rapid-fire exit as a major felony.
Racing the Clock on Appeals
If you find yourself in the middle of these proceedings, your window to fight back is about to get much smaller. Section 4 of the bill slashes appeal deadlines from 180 days down to just 30 days for certain cases. It also directs the Attorney General to ensure that appeals are wrapped up within 120 days. For a family trying to hire a lawyer or a public defender already juggling a massive caseload, 30 days is a blink of an eye. This shift prioritizes speed over thoroughness, making it much harder for individuals to gather evidence or find legal representation before their time runs out.
Highway Funds and the 'Sanctuary' Squeeze
The bill also takes a hard line with local governments. Section 5 defines 'sanctuary jurisdictions' as any city or state that restricts sharing immigration status info or ignores federal detainers. To get them in line, the bill threatens to withhold 15% of their federal highway funds—money usually spent on fixing your local potholes and bridges. On the flip side, it offers a $150 million annual grant pool for 'cooperative' cities to build more detention space and train officers. This creates a high-stakes financial choice for local officials: help with federal immigration enforcement or lose millions in infrastructure budget.