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Congress·In Committee·about 1 year ago

Congress proposes blocking many immigration enforcement actions within 1,000 feet of schools, hospitals

Also known as: Protecting Sensitive Locations Act

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Impacts

Mixed Impacts(2)
Criminal Record
Neutral
Federal Employee
Neutral
Positive Impacts(17)
Immigrant
Helps
Unemployment Benefits
Helps
Social Security
Helps
Snap Food Stamps
Helps
Housing Assistance
Helps
Disability Benefits
Helps
Green Card
Helps
Visa Holder
Helps
Undocumented
Helps
Child Tax Credit
Helps
Renter
Helps
Student
Helps
Medicaid
Helps
Medicare
Helps
Chronic Illness
Helps
Mental Health
Helps
Pregnant
Helps

Key Points

  • Immigration officers generally could not arrest, question, search, or watch people for immigration reasons at or within 1,000 feet of many “sensitive locations.”
  • Sensitive locations listed include schools and school bus stops, hospitals and clinics, places of worship, shelters and food banks, courthouses and lawyers’ offices, Social Security and public aid offices, DMVs, polling places, and public protests.
  • Officers could still act in urgent situations like an immediate threat to safety, terrorism concerns, hot pursuit, or to prevent key evidence from being destroyed.
  • If officers break the rule, the bill says the government cannot use what it learned from that action in deportation court, and the person could ask to end the case right away.
  • The bill would require yearly training and detailed reports to oversight offices and Congress after any enforcement action at a sensitive location; the changes would start 90 days after the law takes effect.
ImmigrationCivil RightsCriminal Justice

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Feb 6, 2025House

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Feb 6, 2025

Introduced in House

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Within 90 days after the bill becomes law

DHS publishes rules defining key roles like which officials count as the “supervisor” and who can approve rare pre-planned sensitive-location arrests for non-ICE/CBP personnel.

People may start to see clearer, more consistent enforcement limits across different DHS teams and any local partners using DHS authority.

90 days after the bill becomes law

The sensitive-location limits (the 1,000-foot buffer and the “stop and ask a supervisor if unsure” rule) begin to apply.

Immigration enforcement actions would generally have to move away from places like schools, hospitals, shelters, courts, DMVs, and polling places unless there is an immediate safety threat or a rare approved operation.

Starting within the first year after the bill becomes law, then every year

ICE and CBP begin (or update) yearly required training for supervised employees on sensitive-location rules and related protections.

More officers should know the boundaries, which can reduce on-the-spot confusion and reduce enforcement activity that violates the rule.

Within 30 days after any such enforcement action

DHS sends a report to the DHS Inspector General and DHS civil rights office after each sensitive-location enforcement action that still happens under an exception.

Each incident is more likely to be reviewed, and patterns (like repeated actions near certain schools or shelters) are easier to spot.

Annually after the first full year of implementation

ICE and CBP send yearly public-agency-style summaries to Congress listing when and where sensitive-location actions happened and whether there were collateral arrests.

More transparency could lead to oversight hearings or policy changes if reports show frequent actions near certain sensitive locations.

Annually after implementation begins

The DHS Inspector General issues an annual report to Congress summarizing complaints about sensitive-location enforcement actions.

People and community groups may have a clearer pathway to complain, and DHS may face pressure to fix recurring problems.

Related News

9 articles
U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (Press Release)·about 1 year ago

Bennet, Hickenlooper, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Protect Sensitive Locations from ICE Raids

Announces introduction of the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act to limit immigration enforcement at places like schools, hospitals, and places of worship, with exigent-circumstances exceptions and reporting/training requirements.

CL+
Senator John Hickenlooper (Press Release)·about 1 year ago

Hickenlooper, Bennet, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Protect Sensitive Locations from ICE Raids

Press release on introducing the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act to limit immigration arrests at sensitive locations (schools, hospitals, places of worship), describing key provisions and rationale.

CL+
U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (Press Release)·about 1 year ago

Rosen Helps Introduce Bill to Protect Sensitive Locations from Immigration Raids

Announcement supporting the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act to bar immigration enforcement activity in locations like schools, hospitals, and churches, with discussion of the policy change the bill would counteract.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Protecting Sensitive Locations Act

Bill NumberHR 1061
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(142)
D: 142

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.