Bill > S3702

This bill, the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act, aims to establish standards for facilities where aliens are detained by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with a particular focus on improving oversight and transparency. It mandates that the Secretary of Homeland Security establish detention standards based on those recommended by the American Bar Association, and these standards must be reviewed and updated at least every two years. The bill also requires the DHS Inspector General to conduct unannounced, annual inspections of all detention facilities and publicly report the findings, with penalties for facilities that repeatedly fail to meet standards, including contract termination or facility suspension. Furthermore, it mandates investigations and public reporting of deaths in custody, requires DHS to maintain a publicly accessible website with detailed information about detention facilities and detainees, and mandates an updated online detainee locator system. The bill also proposes significant changes to immigration detention procedures, including a presumption of release for detainees, limitations on detention based on inability to pay bond, and special protections for vulnerable individuals and primary caregivers, while prohibiting the detention of children under 18 and solitary confinement. Finally, it aims to phase out private detention facilities within three years, requiring all detention facilities to be owned and operated by DHS, and ensures detainees have access to legal orientation programs and confidential communication with their legal counsel, while also granting Members of Congress unrestricted access for oversight purposes.

Justice

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3702/all-info