Sponsors (14)
Introduced February 25, 2026 by Delia Ramirez · Last progress February 25, 2026
The bill reduces harm to detainees and increases transparency and accountability around use of immobilizing restraints, at the cost of some DHS operational flexibility, added administrative burden, and a short-term uneven rollout due to grandfathered contracts.
Immigrants and other DHS detainees (particularly in border communities) will be protected from the use of immobilizing four- and five-point restraints during custody and transport, reducing the risk of serious injury or death.
Taxpayers and federal employees gain greater transparency because DHS must provide a detailed report within 90 days and quarterly reports on restraint violations and inventory, improving public oversight.
Federal employees, law enforcement, and the public benefit from increased accountability since DHS must identify responsible officers and state whether a health professional cleared the restraint use, which helps enforce standards and address abuse.
Law-enforcement personnel and federal employees may have reduced tactical options during high-risk transports or operations because the ban on certain full-body restraints removes tools previously used to control dangerous or uncooperative individuals.
Taxpayers and DHS staff could face additional administrative costs and workload from requirements to track restraint inventories and produce detailed quarterly reports.
Immigrants and border communities may experience uneven protection in the short term because existing contracts are grandfathered, allowing continued use of banned restraints until inventories are exhausted.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from acquiring or using “full-body restraints” (defined as four-point and five-point restraints that immobilize a person) and requires DHS to track and report on any such restraints in its possession and any violations. Contracts signed on or before enactment are exempt from the acquisition prohibition. The department must provide a compliance and inventory report within 90 days of enactment and every quarter after, including detailed information about any uses of full-body restraints and related circumstances.