LOCATE Act

This legislation, known as the LOCATE Act, aims to enhance transparency and accountability regarding individuals in immigration detention. It specifically requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to make timely updates to the Online Detainee Locator System , which tracks individuals in their custody. The bill mandates that the system be updated within 6 hours for CBP custody events and 12 hours for ICE custody events, covering actions such as initial intake, transfers, releases, removals, or deaths. It specifies that the system must include comprehensive data, such as the detainee's full name, date of birth, current facility details, and any scheduled release or removal dates. Furthermore, CBP must provide relevant information to ICE within four hours of a transfer to facilitate prompt system updates. To ensure compliance, the Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General is required to conduct annual audits of the system and report findings to Congress. Additionally, the bill stipulates that reasonable efforts must be made to notify close family members or legal representatives of a detainee within 12 hours of a custody event, if their contact information is known.