Sponsors (15)
The bill protects access to emergency medical care and allows uninterrupted disaster response by restricting immigration enforcement near emergency sites, but it does so at the cost of reduced enforcement flexibility, added administrative burdens, and potential operational confusion in fast-moving emergencies.
People seeking emergency care, disaster assistance, or services at shelters and vaccination sites will face fewer interruptions because immigration enforcement is barred within 1,000 feet of protected emergency response locations except in narrowly defined exigent cases.
First responders, disaster-relief operations, and organizations providing emergency social services can operate with less risk of disruption from immigration actions at disaster response sites and shelters.
People subject to removal proceedings have an evidentiary remedy because evidence obtained in violation of the protections is inadmissible and they may move to terminate proceedings.
Local communities and taxpayers may see reduced immigration enforcement effectiveness near emergency sites, potentially allowing some enforcement targets to evade apprehension except in narrowly defined exigent cases.
Narrow exemptions for medical transport and tight definitions of exigent circumstances could create confusion during fast-moving emergencies, leading to inconsistent enforcement decisions and operational delays for hospitals and responders.
New supervisory-confirmation and reporting requirements will increase administrative burden and costs for ICE and CBP, potentially slowing responses and raising taxpayer-funded agency costs.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates protections that generally bar immigration enforcement actions by ICE and CBP at, focused on, or within 1,000 feet of defined “protected emergency response locations” (like active emergency scenes, hospitals, and ambulances), except in narrowly defined exigent circumstances. When enforcement does occur in or near these locations it must be discreet, limited in time and scope, and—if not clearly urgent—authorized or confirmed by supervisors or preapproved officials; evidence gathered in violation is inadmissible in removal proceedings. The bill also requires training, incident reporting to DHS oversight offices within 30 days, annual public reports to certain congressional committees, DHS OIG complaint reports, and a 90‑day deadline for DHS rulemaking and implementation after enactment.
Introduced September 26, 2025 by Emily Randall · Last progress September 26, 2025