CBP Guidance on Personal Belongings Act

Immigration

house

senate

president

Introduced on November 21, 2024 by Delia Ramirez

Cosponsors

Legislation Details

Requires the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to develop guidance for handling personal property of individuals under arrest, restrained, or confined by CBP.
Guidance must be developed and disseminated within 180 days of enactment.
CBP must consult with nongovernmental organizations and the Immigration Detention Ombudsman during the development of the guidance.
The guidance should allow individuals to retain as much personal property as feasible, considering safety and operational limitations.
Ensures that all personal property stored by CBP is returned to individuals upon their release, as operationally feasible.
Identifies essential personal property that must remain with individuals or be stored by CBP, including religious articles, contact information, and essential medical items.
Specifies types of personal property that CBP is required to store, such as legal documents, cell phones, health-related documents, and currency, provided they do not pose a threat.
Establishes procedures for managing essential personal property and requires written receipts for stored items.
Describes circumstances under which personal property may be discarded and the reasons for such actions.
Outlines protocols for transferring personal property when individuals are moved to another agency’s custody.
Requires written instructions for individuals released from custody on how to retrieve remaining personal property.
Mandates that detainees’ medications remain available unless specific safety concerns arise.
Implements a mechanism for monitoring compliance with the guidance.
Requires annual reports for five years on the development and implementation of the guidance, including data on discarded essential personal property.
The Comptroller General must review the guidance one year after the first report, assessing its implementation and effects on CBP operations.

Last updated 12/20/2024

Requires the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to develop guidance for handling personal property of individuals under arrest, restrained, or confined by CBP.
Guidance must be developed and disseminated within 180 days of enactment.
CBP must consult with nongovernmental organizations and the Immigration Detention Ombudsman during the development of the guidance.
The guidance should allow individuals to retain as much personal property as feasible, considering safety and operational limitations.
Ensures that all personal property stored by CBP is returned to individuals upon their release, as operationally feasible.
Identifies essential personal property that must remain with individuals or be stored by CBP, including religious articles, contact information, and essential medical items.
Specifies types of personal property that CBP is required to store, such as legal documents, cell phones, health-related documents, and currency, provided they do not pose a threat.
Establishes procedures for managing essential personal property and requires written receipts for stored items.
Describes circumstances under which personal property may be discarded and the reasons for such actions.
Outlines protocols for transferring personal property when individuals are moved to another agency’s custody.
Requires written instructions for individuals released from custody on how to retrieve remaining personal property.
Mandates that detainees’ medications remain available unless specific safety concerns arise.
Implements a mechanism for monitoring compliance with the guidance.
Requires annual reports for five years on the development and implementation of the guidance, including data on discarded essential personal property.
The Comptroller General must review the guidance one year after the first report, assessing its implementation and effects on CBP operations.