PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and Armed Services, 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.
Congressional Research Service
No official summary is available in the imported record yet.
People & committees
Rep. Escobar, Veronica [D-TX-16] · D–TX
Legislative record
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Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and Armed Services, 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.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and Armed Services, 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.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and Armed Services, 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.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Sep 5, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
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Analyze H.R.10259 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
Examine H.R.10259 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2026-09-03 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
The proposed DHS Community Consultation Act of 2026 would require the Homeland Security Secretary to consult local communities before constructing immigration detention facilities. It would let municipalities block construction by the Secretary through official declarations and prohibit the Secretary from retrofitting, renovating, or reconstructing structures not intended to house people for immigration detention. It would also prohibit the Secretary from constructing or operating immigration detention facilities on U.S. military installations.
This Act may be cited as the DHS Community Consultation Act of 2026.
Before beginning construction or entering into any contract, including for purchase or lease of an existing facility, for such construction on any facility for purposes of detaining any person under the immigration laws (as such term is defined in section 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101)), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall— (1) consult with—
If a local government of a municipality issues an ordinance, proclamation, moratorium, or any other official declaration prohibiting the construction of any facility for purposes of detaining any person under the immigration laws, the Secretary of Homeland Security may not construct such a facility in such municipality.
The Secretary of Homeland Security may not retrofit, renovate, or reconstruct an existing structure for purposes of detaining any person under the immigration laws (as such term is defined in section 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101)) if such existing structure was not intended to house people, including a storage facility, warehouse, or commercial space.
The Secretary of Homeland Security may not construct or operate any facility for purposes of detaining any person under the immigration laws on a United States military installation (as defined in section 2801 of title 10, United States Code).
Before construction or contracts for that construction, including purchase or lease of an existing facility, the bill would require the Homeland Security Secretary to consult local government and elected officials, utility representatives, community and business leaders, advocates, community members, public health authorities, and emergency response services.
Before beginning construction or entering into any contract, including for purchase or lease of an existing facility, for such construction on any facility for purposes of detaining any person under the immigration laws (as such term is defined in section 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101)), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall— (1) consult with— (A) local government and elected officials; (B) stakeholders, including— (i) representatives from any local utility companies; (ii) community leaders; (iii) business leaders; and (iv) advocates; (C) community members; (D) local public health authorities; and (E) emergency response services;
As part of those advance requirements, the Secretary would have to determine potential effects on healthcare, emergency services, community health, water and wastewater systems—including water pressure and supply—electric grids, and roads. This is an assessment requirement, not a finding that any particular effect would occur.
(2) determine any impacts such facility may have on— (A) healthcare services; (B) emergency services; (C) community health; (D) local water and wastewater infrastructure, including impacts on water pressure and supply; (E) local electric power grids; and (F) roads;
The bill would require a public meeting about construction where community members could meet representatives of the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
(3) hold a public meeting about such construction to provide community members with an opportunity to meet with representatives from the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement;
The Secretary would have to establish a 60-day public comment and review period and respond to comments received during that period.
(4) establish a 60-day period for public comment and review; and (5) respond to any such comments received during such period.
If a municipality's government officially prohibited immigration detention facility construction, the bill would bar the Secretary from constructing such a facility there. The local action could be an ordinance, proclamation, moratorium, or another official declaration.
(b) Local government If a local government of a municipality issues an ordinance, proclamation, moratorium, or any other official declaration prohibiting the construction of any facility for purposes of detaining any person under the immigration laws, the Secretary of Homeland Security may not construct such a facility in such municipality.
The Secretary would have to coordinate with local public health authorities to establish protocols in the event of contagious disease outbreaks inside immigration detention facilities. Those protocols would cover treatment, care, containment, preventing further spread, and notifying the local community.
(c) Contagious disease protocols The Secretary of Homeland Security shall coordinate with local public health authorities to establish, in the event of a contagious disease outbreak within a facility detaining any person under the immigration laws, protocols for— (1) treatment; (2) care; (3) containment; (4) prevention of further contagion; and (5) notifying the local community.
The bill would prohibit the Secretary from retrofitting, renovating, or reconstructing existing structures for immigration detention if they were not intended to house people. The text includes storage facilities, warehouses, and commercial spaces.
(a) Existing structures The Secretary of Homeland Security may not retrofit, renovate, or reconstruct an existing structure for purposes of detaining any person under the immigration laws (as such term is defined in section 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101)) if such existing structure was not intended to house people, including a storage facility, warehouse, or commercial space.
The bill would prohibit the Secretary from both constructing and operating immigration detention facilities on U.S. military installations. The prohibition therefore covers operation as well as new construction.
(b) Military installations The Secretary of Homeland Security may not construct or operate any facility for purposes of detaining any person under the immigration laws on a United States military installation (as defined in section 2801 of title 10, United States Code).
The official-actions snapshot updated September 5, 2026, records introduction in the House on September 3, 2026, and referral that day to the Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Armed Services committees for consideration of provisions within their respective jurisdictions.
Source snapshot updated 2026-09-05T12:58:28Z.
2026-09-03: Introduced in House
2026-09-03: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and Armed Services, 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 closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2026-09-03. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy change attached to appropriations was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No materially narrow carve-out, special exemption, or preferential treatment was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Sep 5, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI