Body Cameras for Immigration Enforcement Staff
A house committee must act next: committee consideration.
The bill faces a steep climb because it requires agencies to pay for expensive equipment without new funding and includes strict penalties for agents.
Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
ICE and CBP agents, officers, and detention facility staff who interact with detainees must wear and continuously operate body cameras for their entire shift, and face furlough, pay cuts, or suspensions of up to 30 days if their camera fails to record without proven malfunction. This adds new disciplinary exposure and oversight for a large workforce, while agencies get no new funding to cover training, equipment, or storage costs, meaning the burden falls on existing budgets and staff time.
“Any immigration enforcement staff member whose body camera does not record footage because of a violation of subsection (c) shall be subject to furlough, reduction in pay or grade, or a suspension of up to 30 days”
Referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) introduced H.R. 4651, the Immigration Enforcement Staff Body Camera Accountability Act, to require all immigration enforcement staff to wear body cameras while on duty, ensuring transparency and accountability during enforcement operations.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced that all federal agents in Minneapolis, including ICE officers, will be issued body-worn cameras immediately. The program is set to expand nationwide as funding becomes available, responding to outrage over recent fatal shootings by federal agents.
ICE is on track to equip all field agents with body cameras following fatal shootings in July that were not recorded. While the agency claims a commitment to transparency, critics point to policies that allow leadership to withhold footage if it is not deemed in the 'best interests' of the agency.
No votes or related bills recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Immigration Enforcement Staff Body Camera Accountability Act
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