Negotiations for funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are ongoing in Congress, with the agency shutdown under a lapse in appropriations since February 14, 2026.

Earlier this month, Democratic leaders released a list of policy demands that they say must be addressed before their caucus will agree to a full‑year DHS appropriations bill.

Among the demands is a request to restore protections for sensitive locations, broadly understood to include places such as schools, places of worship, and medical and healthcare facilities. The Biden‑era protected‑areas policy that explicitly barred immigration enforcement activity in these areas was rescinded early in 2025 at the outset of the Trump administration. At that time, Senator Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced a bill seeking to codify sensitive location protections.

LeadingAge supports policies and legislation that protect sensitive locations, including our members’ communities, from immigration enforcement actions that could deter individuals from seeking essential care or services. At the same time, it is important to note that to date, we are not aware of any widespread or targeted immigration enforcement activity that has occurred in long‑term care settings. Our support for restoring these protections reflects both our commitment to safe care environments and the importance of maintaining trust across the care continuum.