Sponsors (4)
The bill protects detainees from prolonged short-term confinement and related health harms by imposing a 12-hour limit on holding-room detention, but it creates added costs, logistical challenges, and potential enforcement and legal disputes for DHS and taxpayers.
Immigrants and other people held in DHS holding rooms will no longer be confined for more than 12 hours, reducing prolonged short-term detention.
Immigrants and people with disabilities will face lower health and safety risks (e.g., less dehydration and better access to care) because maximum holding times are shortened.
DHS operations and accountability may improve because limits on holding-room duration create incentives for faster processing and clearer timeliness standards.
Taxpayers and federal employees may face higher costs and logistical strain because DHS will need more staff, transport, or short-term housing to meet the 12-hour limit.
Taxpayers and communities: if DHS cannot process or transfer people within 12 hours, the agency may have to release individuals, which could be perceived as reducing enforcement effectiveness and public safety.
Immigrants and DHS staff may face increased litigation and administrative burden because ambiguity about what counts as a 'holding room' or when the 12-hour clock starts could prompt legal disputes.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Bars DHS from holding a person in a temporary secure "holding room" for more than 12 hours and defines such rooms.
Official title: To prohibit extended detention in holding rooms, and for other purposes.
Introduced June 11, 2026 by Brittany Pettersen · Last progress June 11, 2026
Prohibits the Secretary of Homeland Security from keeping any person in a secure temporary “holding room” for more than 12 hours and defines what counts as a holding room (areas used to hold people before processing, court or medical appointments, release, transfers, or removal transport). The bill is narrow: it sets a maximum time limit for short-term confinement in designated temporary holding areas used by ICE and other DHS components.