ICE Accountability Act
Sponsored By: Senator Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create a legislative-branch Commission to provide _rigorous, independent oversight of immigration enforcement_. It is built to investigate civil rights and civil liberties violations, increase public transparency, and compel compliance by immigration agencies through findings, subpoenas, and court actions.
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- People in custody and communities affected: The Commission would monitor arrests, detention, deportation, and surveillance with on-site and possible unannounced visits, review encounter records and body camera footage, and accept public complaints to inform findings.
- DHS agencies and staff: The Commission could access facilities and records, issue subpoenas after a vote, make formal findings of serious or willful violations, refer cases for criminal prosecution, bring civil enforcement suits, and seek financial penalties up to $500,000 per day for noncompliance.
- Congress and the public: The Commission would post monthly reports and disaggregated data on a public website, hold public hearings, testify to congressional committees, and the bill includes whistleblower protections and required rapid notice after critical incidents.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Enforcement powers and big penalties
If enacted, the Commission could make formal findings of serious or willful violations and take civil actions in federal court in D.C. A court could order agencies to comply and fine an agency $500,000 for each day it stays out of compliance after a finding. The Commission could, by a 3-of-4 vote, issue subpoenas for DHS records and refer matters to the Department of Justice or state attorneys general for possible prosecution. The bill would also treat an individual agent's noncompliance as the supervising agency's noncompliance.
Independent immigration oversight created
If enacted, the bill would create an independent legislative-branch Commission to monitor immigration enforcement for civil-rights and civil-liberties problems. The Commission would watch arrests, detention, deportation, surveillance, and review DHS records and body-camera footage. It would post monthly reports to Congress and run a public website for complaints and anonymized, location-based data. Four full-time monitors would be appointed within 30 days and would pick an Executive Director; the Commission could hire outside experts and Congress could fund it each year with “such sums as may be necessary.”
Protections for federal whistleblowers
If enacted, federal employees who report suspected violations to the Commission would be protected from firing, demotion, suspension, threats, or harassment. Employees could use the rights, procedures, and remedies in 31 U.S.C. § 5323 for actions related to their disclosures.
When the Commission ends or continues
If enacted, the Commission could not end earlier than four years after enactment. It must terminate within 180 days after three of four monitors find all immigration agencies were in substantial compliance for at least one year, but three monitors could vote to keep it running if agencies later fall out of compliance.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
DE • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov