# 119-hr-8984: Respect Our Communities Act

119-hr-8984, Respect Our Communities Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25] (D-NY); status in_committee (as of 2026-06-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8984
- As of: 2026-06-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-8984
- Congress: 119
- Title: Respect Our Communities Act
- Status: in_committee
- Introduced: 2026-05-21
- Sponsor: Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25] (D-NY)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Immigration
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-06-19

## Summary

**Blocks federal construction or operation of new CBP or ICE processing sites and detention centers without public notice, local agreement, and congressional notification.** It would require agencies to publish detailed Federal Register notices, secure signed agreements with local officials and the governor, and notify Congress with a 30 day waiting period before proceeding. - Families and nearby residents get a formal public voice. Agencies must open a Federal Register comment period of at least 30 days and include an economic impact analysis plus engineering reviews covering waste export, water use, and electrical demand. - State and local governments gain veto power over sites. A signed, written agreement with appropriate local officials and the state governor is required before construction, acquisition, renovation, or operation can move forward. - Federal agencies face new procedural hurdles and oversight. Department of Homeland Security or any other agency proposing CBP or ICE facilities would have to respond to significant comments, demonstrate compliance with detention and environmental standards, and wait at least 30 days after sending Congress a report that includes the executed agreement.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Local approval for new detention sites: benefit, medium. This bill would block DHS or any federal agency from starting a new CBP or ICE processing site or detention center until three steps are done. First, the agency would publish a Federal Register notice open at least 30 days that describes the project, shows due diligence on detention guidance and en…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-7481: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-5658: Child Care for Every Community Act
- 119-hr-2913: Ukraine Support Act
- 119-hr-2725: Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-8984 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8984)

## Related
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-7481: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7481)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-5658: Child Care for Every Community Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5658)
- [119-hr-2913: Ukraine Support Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2913)
- [119-hr-2725: Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2725)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8984 (as of 2026-06-19).