The "Protecting Sensitive Locations Act" aims to amend section 287 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, imposing significant limitations on immigration enforcement actions conducted by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers and agents. Its primary purpose is to ensure individuals can access various sensitive locations without fear of immigration enforcement, thereby protecting community trust and public safety. The bill establishes a 1,000-foot buffer zone around designated sensitive locations where enforcement actions are generally prohibited. Such actions are only permitted under exigent circumstances , defined as situations involving imminent risk of death, violence, physical harm, national security threats, or the immediate pursuit of an individual posing an imminent public safety danger. If exigent circumstances cease, the enforcement action must be discontinued, and officers are required to consult with a supervisor in real-time if uncertain about their existence. When an enforcement action occurs at or near a sensitive location, officers must conduct themselves as discreetly as possible, limit their time there, and restrict the action to the approved target. The bill outlines specific exceptions, such as the transportation of an apprehended individual to a hospital for medical care or rare, premeditated arrests of terrorist suspects or individuals posing an extraordinary danger to public safety, with prior written approval from an appropriate official. Violations of these provisions carry consequences: any information obtained from an unlawful enforcement action cannot be used as evidence in a removal proceeding, and the affected alien may file a motion for immediate termination of their removal proceeding. The bill mandates annual training for specified DHS officials and their subordinates on compliance with these requirements. Furthermore, the legislation establishes robust reporting mechanisms. The Secretary of Homeland Security must report individual enforcement actions at sensitive locations to the DHS Inspector General and Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties within 30 days. Annually, the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection must report to Congress on all such enforcement actions, detailing their nature, location, targets, and arrests. The DHS Inspector General is also required to submit an annual report to Congress on complaints regarding enforcement actions in sensitive locations. The bill provides a comprehensive definition of sensitive locations , which includes, but is not limited to: medical and mental healthcare facilities public and private schools, early childhood education programs, and other learning institutions sites of religious worship or study federal, state, or local courthouses, including legal counsel offices polling places disaster or emergency response sites facilities assisting vulnerable populations (e.g., domestic violence shelters, food banks) public assistance offices and departments of motor vehicles. An enforcement action is broadly defined to include apprehension, arrest, interview, request for identification, search, or surveillance for immigration enforcement purposes. The amendment is set to take effect 90 days after enactment, with the Secretary of Homeland Security required to promulgate implementing regulations within the same timeframe.
The "Protecting Sensitive Locations Act" aims to amend section 287 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, imposing significant limitations on immigration enforcement actions conducted by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers and agents. Its primary purpose is to ensure individuals can access various sensitive locations without fear of immigration enforcement, thereby protecting community trust and public safety. The bill establishes a 1,000-foot buffer zone around designated sensitive locations where enforcement actions are generally prohibited. Such actions are only permitted under exigent circumstances , defined as situations involving imminent risk of death, violence, physical harm, national security threats, or the immediate pursuit of an individual posing an imminent public safety danger. If exigent circumstances cease, the enforcement action must be discontinued, and officers are required to consult with a supervisor in real-time if uncertain about their existence. When an enforcement action occurs at or near a sensitive location, officers must conduct themselves as discreetly as possible, limit their time there, and restrict the action to the approved target. The bill outlines specific exceptions, such as the transportation of an apprehended individual to a hospital for medical care or rare, premeditated arrests of terrorist suspects or individuals posing an extraordinary danger to public safety, with prior written approval from an appropriate official. Violations of these provisions carry consequences: any information obtained from an unlawful enforcement action cannot be used as evidence in a removal proceeding, and the affected alien may file a motion for immediate termination of their removal proceeding. The bill mandates annual training for specified DHS officials and their subordinates on compliance with these requirements. Furthermore, the legislation establishes robust reporting mechanisms. The Secretary of Homeland Security must report individual enforcement actions at sensitive locations to the DHS Inspector General and Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties within 30 days. Annually, the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection must report to Congress on all such enforcement actions, detailing their nature, location, targets, and arrests. The DHS Inspector General is also required to submit an annual report to Congress on complaints regarding enforcement actions in sensitive locations. The bill provides a comprehensive definition of sensitive locations , which includes, but is not limited to: medical and mental healthcare facilities public and private schools, early childhood education programs, and other learning institutions sites of religious worship or study federal, state, or local courthouses, including legal counsel offices polling places disaster or emergency response sites facilities assisting vulnerable populations (e.g., domestic violence shelters, food banks) public assistance offices and departments of motor vehicles. An enforcement action is broadly defined to include apprehension, arrest, interview, request for identification, search, or surveillance for immigration enforcement purposes. The amendment is set to take effect 90 days after enactment, with the Secretary of Homeland Security required to promulgate implementing regulations within the same timeframe.