TRUST Act
Sponsored By: Senator Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
Introduced
Summary
Professional standards and accountability for DHS immigration enforcement. This bill would set stricter rules for hiring, uniforms, identification, body-worn cameras, and training for Department of Homeland Security immigration officers and agents.
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- For officers and recruits: Would raise hiring and screening rules. Applicants must be at least 20 at application and 21 by the start of academy training, have a high school diploma or equivalent, show work authorization, and pass expanded background checks and psychological suitability assessments.
- For people they encounter: Requires body-worn cameras for public interactions with rules for activation, notification, and privacy protections. Agencies must publicly release unedited footage after misconduct complaints or after death or serious injury, and retain footage at least 6 months normally and 3 years for use-of-force or complaint cases.
- For agency operations and public trust: Sets uniform and identification standards so personnel are clearly federal immigration authorities and not police. It creates DHS badges and ID cards with unique identifiers, requires arrest teams to be identifiable, bans loaning or duplicating credentials, mandates supervisory inspections, and creates criminal penalties for misrepresenting DHS credentials.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Body and vehicle camera rules for officers
This bill would require body-worn cameras for immigration officers who interact with the public and dash cameras when vehicles are equipped. Officers would have to activate cameras for calls, entries, and public interactions, with narrow undercover and other exceptions. Standard footage would be kept at least 6 months; footage tied to use of force, complaints, death, or serious injury would be kept at least 3 years. Unedited recordings alleged to show misconduct would be public within 21 days; recordings after death or serious injury would be public within 5 days, unless a written investigatory delay is given no later than 45 days. Footage would be stored in an isolated system with privacy protections and limited access. Tampering or intentional failure to activate could lead to discipline up to termination and loss of certification.
DHS uniform and ID rules
This bill would require DHS to issue official ID cards and badges to ICE and CBP officers. IDs would show name, photo, agency, and a unique serial number. Officers would generally have to display badges and visible ID while on duty, except for limited undercover or tactical and medical exceptions. Uniform rules would require neat, serviceable uniforms, ban mixing civilian clothes with uniform parts, and ban purchasing or consuming alcohol while wearing any part of the uniform. The Secretary would be barred from issuing badges or uniforms to people who are not authorized, and impersonating a DHS immigration officer would be a federal crime.
Stronger hiring and training for officers
This bill would tighten hiring rules and require extra training before officers do enforcement. Applicants would need to be at least 20 when they apply and 21 at academy start, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and lawful U.S. work authorization. Background checks would include criminal records, prior law enforcement or military disciplinary records, domestic violence and sexual assault screening, drug screening, extremist affiliation checks, social media review, and psychological suitability assessments. Officers would need specialized training on identity verification to avoid wrongful detention, de-escalation, language access, recognizing medical distress and disabilities, civil rights, and preventing discriminatory enforcement before performing operations.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
CO • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov