Short-Term Holding Facility Standards Restoration Act.
Sponsored By: Representative Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4]
Introduced
Summary
Restore a 12-hour limit on ICE holding-room detention. This bill would set a statutory short-term custody cap and add basic humane standards, mandatory documentation, and stronger reporting and audits.
Show full summary
- People in ICE holding rooms would generally be limited to 12 hours of custody unless an exceptional circumstance applies. Exceptional circumstances are temporary and include medical emergencies, natural disasters, transportation or transfer delays beyond Department of Homeland Security control, and other urgent operational conditions.
- Holding rooms would be required to be safe and clean, have restroom facilities, and provide drinking water in each room. All detainees must receive a meal at least every 6 hours, and minors, pregnant people, and breastfeeding people must have immediate access to meals, snacks, milk, and juice.
- Any instance of custody beyond short-term must be documented when it happens and those records kept for 5 years for oversight, audit, and reporting.
- The Department of Homeland Security would send an annual report to Congress on extended holds with justifications and corrective actions, and the DHS Inspector General would perform periodic audits of ICE facilities and records.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
12-hour limit on ICE holds
If enacted, the bill would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure ICE holding facilities are used only for short-term custody not to exceed 12 hours, except in specified exceptional circumstances. Exceptional circumstances would include medical emergencies, natural disasters or facility disruptions, transportation or transfer delays beyond DHS control, and other urgent operational conditions the Secretary determines. This requirement would take effect upon enactment.
Detainee records, reporting, and audits
If enacted, the bill would require contemporaneous documentation whenever a detainee is held longer than short-term custody and would require DHS to keep those records for five years. The Secretary would have to send Congress an annual report with the number of such holds, their durations, the justification for each, and corrective actions. The DHS Inspector General would also perform periodic audits of ICE holding facilities and DHS records to check compliance. These requirements would take effect upon enactment.
Minimum humane standards for detainees
If enacted, the bill would require ICE holding facilities to be safe, clean, have restroom facilities, and be free of objects that could be used as weapons. Each detainee would be provided a meal at least every 6 hours. Minors and pregnant or breastfeeding people would have immediate access to meals, snacks, milk, and juice regardless of time in custody. Drinking water would have to be available in every room where a detainee is held at all times.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4]
AZ • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]
AZ • D
Sponsored 4/28/2026
Grijalva
AZ • D
Sponsored 4/28/2026
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
MA • D
Sponsored 5/11/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov