How State and Local Governments Can Resist Federal Overreach

Throughout the second Trump administration, public outcry over immigration enforcement abuses has been mounting. In response to the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, Minnesotans — and people across the country — are taking to the streets to demand that ICE leave their communities and that federal agents who have trampled civil rights be held accountable.

To prevent more murders and civil rights violations, Congress needs to strip this rogue secret police force of its funding and authorities. Meanwhile, governors, state legislatures, mayors, and city and county officials can do more to uphold the rights of their residents as the federal government continues its attempts to occupy American cities.

Last year, even before the Minneapolis murders sparked a nationwide call for change, yearslong grassroots campaigns persuaded many states to adopt laws that fortify their communities against unchecked federal force: Colorado passed sweeping legislation to protect the civil rights of its immigrant population; Washington updated its laws to prevent unlawful National Guard deployments into the state; California adopted a first-of-its-kind law enforcement mask ban; and Illinois established a statewide accountability commission to track civil rights violations.

In response to demands from communities and grassroots leaders, more states and localities are joining the fight in 2026. New Mexico passed historic legislation to end its collaboration with federal immigration enforcement and prevent the use of its public spaces for immigration detention. In an emergency session, Maryland’s legislature voted to end the state’s partnerships with ICE. And Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order to mandate that city cops document federal enforcement abuses and refer violations to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.

That’s why NILC and our partners created the No Secret Police, No Troops in Our Streets Campaign, which aims to help fight federal overreach and immigration enforcement abuses. It provides legal FAQs and template language for drafting bills and tracks relevant laws that are being introduced and implemented across the country. To support public safety and accountability, the campaign recommends state, county, or city officials to adopt policies in the following five buckets:

1. Ending collaboration with federal immigration enforcement. This includes ending participation in ICE’s “287(g)” program, which allows the agency to deputize state and local cops for immigration enforcement. This also means banning or limiting involvement in federal task forces or “fusion centers,” where state and local officials may violate their residents’ rights. States, cities, and counties should also safeguard residents’ data and privacy by not collecting or retaining residents’ information — including immigration status —unless legally required and necessary. It also means not sharing sensitive information that may be used for federal law enforcement purposes unless required by law.
2. Requiring government facilities to establish non-public “safe community places” that immigration officials can’t access without a judicial warrant. These safe community spaces should include any areas or facilities operated by the state, city, or county, including schools, hospitals, parks, shelters, courthouses, libraries, and community centers.
3. Banning law enforcement from concealing their identities. This means law enforcement officials cannot hide their faces outside of specific and rare circumstances and are also required to display clear and unobstructed identifying information while on duty.
4. Preventing state and local law enforcement from becoming militarized. This means prohibiting the state National Guard from cooperating with or supporting federal immigration enforcement activities or other non-military federal police functions. Laws should also limit or clarify the governor’s authority to call in the National Guard and should prohibit state and local police from acquiring or using military equipment.
5. Documenting abuse and creating pathways for accountability. This means establishing a hotline and online portal for residents to report harms committed by federal deployments or immigration enforcement. It also means prosecuting or otherwise holding legally accountable federal agents who violate the rights of residents within local jurisdictions.

These are just some examples of what state and local leaders can do to push back against federal abuse, but they are not the only paths forward. For the fight against authoritarianism to succeed, communities and policymakers must come together around practical and tailored solutions that prioritize everyone’s safety and well-being. In an era of unprecedented federal overreach and constitutional violations, states, cities, and counties should experiment with means of effective resistance. They should also expect the Trump administration to strike back at those who challenge its agenda and should rely on allies for protection and resilience. Courage and creativity are critical.

The No Secret Police, No Troops in Our Streets campaign will continue publishing new content to support the growing state and local movement against federal overreach. To get involved or request campaign materials, reach out to us at [email protected].