Humane Accountability Act

This bill requires detailed reports about people held by immigration agencies and sets rules for advance notice before using new kinds of detention sites. Within 30 days of becoming law, the Department of Homeland Security must tell Congress how many encounters since January 21, 2025, led to detention; whether these happened at “sensitive” places like schools, churches, hospitals, child care centers, and courthouses; and how many people were removed, including their names, nationalities, legal authority used, and destination countries. It must also identify any noncitizens sent to the CECOT facility in El Salvador or to Guantánamo Bay, even if they did not have a final removal order.

Within 60 days, DHS and the Department of Health and Human Services must jointly report on people in CBP, ICE, or ORR custody, including all cases of assault or sexual assault, calls to local police or emergency responders, hospitalizations, deaths, and the number and type of complaints from detainees or families (like abuse, neglect, retaliation, lack of resources, or trouble getting a lawyer), plus what was done to fix them. Then, within 90 days of receiving that report, the Government Accountability Office must give Congress recommendations, including how to improve visitation and access, boost oversight of facilities, and better track detainees’ locations and transfers, including updating ICE’s online locator with final repatriation locations. The GAO must also assess how the closure of certain oversight offices affects people’s ability to report abuse or improper actions .

The bill also requires a 60-day advance notice to Congress before using “non-traditional” detention sites, such as Department of Defense property, Indian lands, or areas outside the continental United States, with details on the location, reason, number of beds, standards of care (including medical access), timeline, costs, and any agreements.

Key points

• Who is affected: People held by CBP, ICE, or ORR; their families; DHS and HHS; and communities near sensitive locations or proposed non-traditional sites .
• What changes: New reporting to Congress on detentions and removals; detailed data on safety, health, and complaints in custody; GAO recommendations to improve oversight and tracking; advance notice before using non-traditional detention locations .
• When: First report due 30 days after enactment; joint DHS–HHS report due 60 days after enactment; GAO recommendations due 90 days after receiving that report; notice required 60 days before using a non-traditional site .