Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act
Sponsored By: Representative Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
Introduced
Summary
Creates comprehensive detention standards and independent oversight for people held by the Department of Homeland Security while phasing out private, for‑profit immigration detention and expanding community-based alternatives and legal protections.
Show full summary
- Families and vulnerable people: Detention of vulnerable persons and primary caregivers is prohibited unless DHS shows community alternatives are unreasonable or impracticable. Unaccompanied children are exempt from this detention framework.
- Detainees and due process: Initial custody decisions must occur within 48 hours and an immigration judge hearing must follow within 72 hours when custody is challenged. Proceedings carry a presumption of release, require least restrictive conditions, monthly reviews, a ban on solitary confinement, and mandatory legal orientation plus confidential access to counsel.
- Facilities, oversight, and alternatives: The bill phases out private, for‑profit detention and requires DHS ownership or nonprofit operation within 3 years. It strengthens transparency with annual Office of Inspector General inspections, public monthly facility data, a detainee locator updated within 12 hours, and public reporting and root‑cause reviews of deaths in custody.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
14 provisions identified: 14 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
180-day notice for detention construction
If enacted, DHS would have to notify Congress and publish public details at least 180 days before building or expanding a detention facility. If enacted, the notice must name the location, size, capacity, timeline, cost, and the intended detained population by age and gender.
Ban on solitary confinement
If enacted, the bill would bar DHS from placing anyone in solitary confinement in its custody. If enacted, the bill would define solitary as being confined to a cell alone or with a cellmate for discipline, administrative, or classification purposes, but would not treat regular sleeping in a cell as solitary.
Community alternatives to detention
If enacted, DHS would establish a community-based case management program outside ICE to offer alternatives to detention. If enacted, the program would provide case management, health care, housing help, transportation, and legal services, in languages needed. If enacted, the program could not use ankle monitors, and participants could not be charged fees.
Congressional access to detention facilities
If enacted, Members of Congress and staff they designate would be allowed to enter any DHS facility used to detain or house aliens for oversight. If enacted, DHS would be barred from making temporary changes designed to hide conditions from those visitors. If enacted, staff not accompanying a Member may need to give 24 hours' notice.
End mandatory detention rules
If enacted, the bill would repeal statutory mandatory-detention provisions in the Immigration and Nationality Act, removing rules that automatically require detention in some cases. If enacted, officials would have more discretion to use alternatives or referrals instead of automatic detention.
Faster custody reviews and bond rules
If enacted, DHS would have to put a written custody decision on the record within 48 hours of taking you into custody. If enacted, you could get a hearing to challenge that decision within 72 hours and a probable-cause hearing for warrantless arrests within 48 hours. If enacted, immigration judges would start with a presumption of release, set the least-restrictive conditions, and must consider your ability to pay bond. If enacted, the government would generally have only 60 days to effect removal and could only keep you detained in new 60-day periods with fresh hearings.
Faster death investigations and reporting
If enacted, DHS would have to notify Congress within 24 hours after a death in its custody. If enacted, DHS would require a qualified investigation and root-cause analysis within 30 days and a full public report within 60 days. If enacted, the Inspector General would review that report within 90 days.
Federal detention standards set and updated
If enacted, the Secretary would have to issue detention standards for all DHS detention facilities within one year. If enacted, those standards must at least meet the American Bar Association Civil Immigration Detention Standards and be reviewed and updated at least every two years.
Guaranteed legal orientation and lawyer access
If enacted, every person detained by DHS would be offered the Legal Orientation Program quickly and no later than their first immigration-judge hearing. If enacted, detainees with counsel would be allowed confidential, private contact with their lawyer in person, by phone, or by video. If enacted, facilities would need indoor, climate-controlled visitor waiting and screening areas and DHS would have to transport detainees to required federal or state court hearings.
IG inspections and fines for facilities
If enacted, the Department Inspector General would have to do unannounced, in-person inspections of each detention facility at least once a year and publish reports within 60 days. If enacted and a facility fails in ways that threaten health, safety, or due-process rights, non-Department facilities would face a fine of at least 10% of the contract value and required fixes in 60 days. If enacted, repeat failures in a 2-year period could force transfers, contract termination, or suspension of facility use.
More detainee records and public transparency
If enacted, DHS would have to collect detailed records for each person in custody and publish a facilities matrix on its website on the first day of each month. If enacted, the online detainee locator would have to update within 12 hours after someone is taken in, moved, released, or removed.
No ICE detention for minors
If enacted, the Secretary of Homeland Security would be prohibited from detaining anyone under 18 in ICE-run or ICE-contracted facilities. If enacted, this would protect children and their families from that form of detention.
Phase out for-profit detention facilities
If enacted, DHS would have to stop using for-profit companies that own or run detention facilities within three years. If enacted, after three years facilities holding DHS detainees would need to be Department-owned or run by nonprofits, and nonresidential for-profit monitoring programs would also have to end.
Protecting vulnerable people and caregivers
If enacted, people the bill calls "vulnerable" and primary caregivers generally could not be detained unless DHS shows community-based placement is unreasonable or impracticable. If enacted, the law would list categories (for example age ranges, pregnancy, serious illness, credible fear finders, survivors of severe trauma) and define who counts as a primary caregiver or material witness.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
WA • D
Cosponsors
Smith (WA)
WA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Adams
NC • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Amo, Gabe [D-RI-1]
RI • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]
AZ • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large]
VT • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Barragan
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
VA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Bonamici
OR • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Boyle, Brendan F. [D-PA-2]
PA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11]
OH • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Carson
IN • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]
LA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35]
TX • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Casten
IL • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Castro (TX)
TX • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Cherfilus-McCormick
FL • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]
NY • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5]
MO • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Cohen
TN • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Crockett
TX • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Crow
CO • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Davis (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4]
PA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1]
CO • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3]
OR • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6]
MI • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37]
TX • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Escobar
TX • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Espaillat
NY • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]
PA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Fletcher
TX • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4]
NC • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Friedman
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10]
FL • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]
IL • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29]
TX • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10]
NY • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Gomez
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9]
TX • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Grijalva
AZ • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]
CT • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Horsford, Steven [D-NV-4]
NV • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4]
OR • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Ivey
MD • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Jackson (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Johnson (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Johnson, Julie [D-TX-32]
TX • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2]
IL • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Khanna
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]
IL • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]
PA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3]
NM • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Levin
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Lofgren
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
McClellan
VA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
McCollum
MN • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. McGarvey, Morgan [D-KY-3]
KY • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
McGovern
MA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10]
NJ • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5]
NY • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ-8]
NJ • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]
NY • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]
WI • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
MA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Mullin
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]
NY • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Norcross
NJ • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Ocasio-Cortez
NY • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5]
MN • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Pallone
NJ • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Pingree
ME • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]
WI • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]
MA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5]
IL • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3]
IL • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Randall
WA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8]
MD • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Rivas, Luz M. [D-CA-29]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]
NC • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-25]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]
OR • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5]
PA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Schakowsky
IL • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Simon
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Soto
FL • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Stansbury
NM • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10]
WA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Swalwell
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
MI • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Thompson (MS)
MS • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Thompson (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]
NV • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]
HI • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
NY • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15]
NY • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Trahan
MA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33]
TX • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]
NY • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25]
FL • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]
NJ • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5]
GA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Wilson (FL)
FL • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-22]
FL • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rescom. Hernández, Pablo Jose [D-PR-At Large]
PR • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Rep. Sykes, Emilia Strong [D-OH-13]
OH • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
DelBene
WA • D
Sponsored 12/4/2025
Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/9/2025
Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2]
WA • D
Sponsored 12/9/2025
Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6]
MD • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1]
MO • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2]
CO • D
Sponsored 12/17/2025
Mfume
MD • D
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Conaway
NJ • D
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16]
NY • D
Sponsored 3/5/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov