Sponsors (156)
The bill reduces immigration enforcement near schools, hospitals, and places of worship and strengthens transparency and due-process protections, but it does so at the cost of reduced enforcement flexibility, potential evidence exclusions that could hinder removals and prosecutions, operational uncertainty, and added DHS administrative costs.
People who live, work, or attend schools, hospitals, and places of worship will face fewer immigration enforcement actions within a 1,000-foot buffer around those sensitive locations, reducing disruptions and intimidation.
Noncitizens subjected to enforcement that violates the buffer rules can seek exclusion of improperly obtained evidence and move to terminate removal proceedings, strengthening due process protections.
DHS components (ICE/CBP) will be required to report individual incidents and annual summaries to oversight offices and Congress, increasing transparency and accountability about enforcement near sensitive sites.
Law enforcement (ICE/CBP) will have reduced flexibility to promptly arrest noncitizens near sensitive sites, which could delay apprehension of dangerous individuals and pose public safety risks.
Immigration prosecutions and removals could be impaired if evidence obtained in violation of the buffer rules is excluded, potentially allowing some removable or criminally dangerous individuals to avoid removal.
The broad definition of 'sensitive location' and a 1,000-foot buffer could create uncertainty for officers and civilians about where enforcement is allowed, causing operational confusion and inconsistent application.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Bars immigration enforcement at or focused on enumerated sensitive locations within 1,000 feet except in exigent circumstances, adds supervisory approvals, training, reporting, and evidence exclusion for violations.
Introduced February 6, 2025 by Adriano J. Espaillat · Last progress February 6, 2025
Creates a 1,000-foot protected zone around enumerated "sensitive locations" and generally bars immigration enforcement actions at or focused on those locations except in narrowly defined exigent circumstances. It requires supervisory confirmation when agents are uncertain, limits how agents may conduct any allowable actions near sensitive locations, and exempts emergency medical transport and rare preplanned arrests only with written prior approval. Requires annual training for covered ICE and CBP personnel, detailed individual and agency reporting to DHS oversight offices and Congress, OIG complaint reporting, definitions and rulemaking for certain officials and supervisors, and makes evidence or information obtained in violation inadmissible in removal proceedings; the amendment takes effect 90 days after enactment and directs DHS to issue implementing regulations.