Protects persons receiving care, employed, or otherwise present at a hospital from immigration arrests; prohibits federal immigration officers acting within the scope of their employment from entering hospitals unless supported by a judicial warrant or order; defines judicial warrant or order.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9589
IN ASSEMBLY
January 21, 2026
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CUNNINGHAM -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the civil rights law and the public health law, in
relation to prohibiting federal immigration officers acting within the
scope of their employment from entering hospitals
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
2 the "sanctuary hospitals act".
3 § 2. The civil rights law is amended by adding a new section 29 to
4 read as follows:
5 § 29. Civil arrest; protection in hospital settings. 1. A person
6 receiving care, employed, or otherwise present at a hospital, is privi-
7 leged from civil arrest.
8 2. No civil arrest shall be executed on hospital premises unless
9 supported by a judicial warrant or order. No other document shall be
10 sufficient for the execution of a civil arrest on hospital premises,
11 including an administrative warrant or immigration detainer.
12 3. As used in this section, "judicial warrant or order" shall mean a
13 warrant or order that is signed by a United States district judge or
14 federal magistrate judge and demonstrates probable cause to believe an
15 individual has committed a crime or offense.
16 § 3. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 2833 to
17 read as follows:
18 § 2833. Prohibition of immigration enforcement. 1. A hospital shall be
19 prohibited from allowing federal immigration enforcement officers acting
20 within the scope of their employment onto the premises of the hospital
21 unless such federal immigration enforcement officers provide a valid
22 judicial warrant or order.
23 2. The commissioner shall promulgate all rules and regulations neces-
24 sary to ensure compliance with the provisions of this section, includ-
25 ing, but not limited to, training for hospital personnel on handling
26 immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) requests.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10902-02-6
A. 9589 2
1 3. As used in this section, "judicial warrant or order" shall mean a
2 warrant or order that is signed by a United States district judge or
3 federal magistrate judge and demonstrates probable cause to believe an
4 individual has committed a crime or offense.
5 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
