[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4542 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4542
To prohibit the operation and funding of an immigration detention
facility in the Everglades, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 17, 2025
Ms. Wasserman Schultz (for herself, Mr. Frost, Ms. Castor of Florida,
Mr. Soto, Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mrs.
Cherfilus-McCormick, and Mr. Moskowitz) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition
to the Committee on Homeland Security, 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
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To prohibit the operation and funding of an immigration detention
facility in the Everglades, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``No Cages in the Everglades Act''.
SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON OPERATION AND FUNDING OF IMMIGRATION DETENTION
FACILITY IN THE EVERGLADES.
(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no
funds made available to the Department of Homeland Security, including
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, may be obligated or expended
for the following:
(1) Planning, construction, leasing, operation, staffing,
or maintenance of any immigration detention facility located
within or adjacent to the Everglades ecosystem.
(2) Contracting with any public entity for the purposes
described in paragraph (1).
(b) Right of Access.--
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, any facility, including any facility described in
subsection (a)(1), used to detain or house individuals in the
custody of the Department of Homeland Security, including U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or that is used to detain
or house individuals by the Department, whether operated by the
Federal Government or a State or local government, shall allow
Members of Congress and designated congressional staff to
conduct announced or unannounced inspections of such facility
at any time, consistent with applicable security and safety
protocols.
(2) Prohibition on limitation.--The right of access
described in paragraph (1) may not be waived, limited, or
conditioned by any contract, lease, memorandum of
understanding, or other agreement between the Department of
Homeland Security and any State or local government operator of
a facility described in paragraph (1).
(3) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection may
be construed to require a Member of Congress or designated
congressional staff to provide prior notice of the intent to
enter a facility described in paragraph (1) for the purpose of
conducting oversight.
(c) Independent Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Inspector General of the
Department of Homeland Security shall conduct an independent
inquiry and submit to the appropriate congressional committees
a report regarding the facility described in subsection (a)(1).
Such report shall contain the following:
(A) An accounting of the use of funds allocated to
or made available to the Department for such facility.
(B) A description of the process that led to the
construction of such facility.
(C) An evaluation of whether such facility
satisfies minimum Federal standards, including the
following:
(i) National Detention Standards (NDS)
2000.
(ii) Performance-Based National Detention
Standards (PBNDS) 2008.
(iii) PBNDS 2011.
(iv) NDS 2019.
(v) Family Residential Standards 2020.
(vi) Temporary Housing Standards.
(D) A description of any formal or informal
complaints registered by individuals detained at such
facility regarding detention conditions, access to
counsel, or treatment.
(E) An assessment of ecological risks resulting
from the construction and operation of such facility,
as well as the risks for detained individuals,
officers, and staff at such facility as a result of
flooding, hurricanes, or other natural disasters.
(2) Briefings.--The Inspector General of the Department of
Homeland Security shall provide to the appropriate
congressional committees briefings on the contents of the
report required under paragraph (1).
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means the following:
(A) In the House of Representatives, the following:
(i) The Committee on Homeland Security.
(ii) The Committee on the Judiciary.
(iii) The Committee on Appropriations.
(B) In the Senate, the following:
(i) The Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs.
(ii) The Committee on the Judiciary.
(iii) The Committee on Appropriations.
(2) Designated congressional staff.--The term ``designated
congressional staff'' means any employee employed by the
official office of a Member of Congress, or employed by an
official Committee of the House of Representatives or the
Senate.
(3) Everglades ecosystem.--The term ``Everglades
ecosystem'' means the hydrologically connected wetland areas of
southern Florida, including Big Cypress National Preserve,
Everglades National Park, Water Conservation Areas, and
adjacent wetlands.
(4) Facility.--The term ``facility'' means any building,
site, or structure at which individuals in Department of
Homeland Security custody are housed or detained.
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