Sponsors (2)
The bill increases transparency and speeds audit reporting to improve oversight and accountability of removal-transfer arrangements, but imposes administrative costs and risks complicating removals or diplomatic cooperation and could pressure audit quality.
Immigrants subject to final removal orders and federal officials: requiring written documentation of removal-transfer agreements (including reducing oral agreements to writing) increases transparency about where people are sent and creates clearer records for oversight, accountability, and assessment of humanitarian/foreign-policy implications.
Congress, oversight bodies, and the public: requiring the GAO to deliver audit reports within 30 days of concluding an audit speeds transparency and lets Congress act sooner on audit findings, potentially improving corrective action and program oversight.
State departments and foreign partners: public reporting of transfer arrangements may make foreign governments hesitant to enter or acknowledge removal-transfer agreements, complicating diplomatic cooperation and potentially reducing options for safely returning non‑citizens.
Immigrants subject to removal and federal officers: formally documenting transfers may slow or complicate fast-moving removals that previously relied on oral arrangements, potentially delaying operations or increasing logistical complexity.
GAO staff and oversight quality: the tighter 30-day deadline for delivering final audit reports could pressure GAO to rush finalization, increasing the risk of lower-quality or incomplete reviews and forcing resource shifts that delay other audits.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires reporting of agreements where foreign countries accept third‑country nationals subject to U.S. removal orders (oral agreements must be written) and requires GAO post‑audit reports within 30 days of audit conclusion.
Official title: To amend title 1, United States Code, to expand the scope of documents the Secretary of State is required to transmit to the Congress, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 20, 2026 by William R. Keating · Last progress May 20, 2026
Expands the Case–Zablocki Act's reporting requirements to make agreements under which a foreign country agrees to accept foreign nationals subject to final U.S. removal orders reportable (including oral agreements, which must be put in writing). It also requires the Comptroller General to submit post‑audit reports within 30 days of concluding an audit required by the statute. The bill increases transparency for deportation-related diplomatic arrangements and accelerates GAO reporting timelines.