PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
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Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13] · D–MI
Legislative record
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Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
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: Oct 9, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2026-09-15 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.
This bill would require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to make reasonable efforts to notify next of kin and applicable consulates, notify designated officials, publish information, and review deaths connected to immigration custody. It would cover deaths in custody and certain potentially custody-related deaths within 30 days after release. ICE would also have to preserve evidence and report to Congress. These are proposed requirements; the supplied history does not establish enactment.
Not later than 24 hours after a covered death, the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall make reasonable efforts to notify the next of kin of the deceased individual.
Not later than 24 hours after a covered death, the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall make reasonable efforts to notify the appropriate consulate, where applicable.
Not later than 24 hours after a covered death, the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall notify the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security.
Not later than 24 hours after a covered death, the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall notify the appropriate congressional committees, including a description of the notifications made pursuant to paragraphs (1) through (3).
The term covered death means-— (A) the death of an individual while in ICE custody; or (B) the death of an individual within 30 days after release from ICE custody, if the death could reasonably be considered related to the individual’s detention, medical care, treatment, conditions of confinement, transport, the release process, or any other circumstance connected to ICE custody.
Not later than 30 days after a covered death, the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall complete and post on the internet website of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement a detainee death report for such covered death.
Upon learning of a covered death, the Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall preserve all records and evidence related to the covered death, including medical records, detention records, incident reports, video footage, investigative materials, and other relevant materials.
Not later than 180 days after a covered death, the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall complete a detention death review for such covered death.
The Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees and the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security the completed review under this subsection.
Source snapshot updated 2026-10-09T16:28:06Z. 2026-09-15: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. 2026-09-15: Introduced in House
Section 1 would name the bill the No ICE Deaths in the Dark Act of 2026.
This Act may be cited as the No ICE Deaths in the Dark Act of 2026.
Section 2 would add a new section 295 to the Immigration and Nationality Act establishing notification, review, reporting, and evidence-preservation requirements. It would also add the corresponding entry to the Act's table of contents.
Chapter 9 of title II of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1351 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 295. Notification, review, reporting, and preservation requirements for covered deaths involving ICE custody
The table of contents of the Immigration and Nationality Act is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 294 the following: Sec. 295. Notification, review, reporting, and preservation requirements for covered deaths involving ICE custody.
A covered death would include any death in ICE custody. A death within 30 days after release would qualify only if it could reasonably be considered related to detention, medical care, treatment, confinement conditions, transport, release, or another circumstance connected to ICE custody.
The term covered death means-— (A) the death of an individual while in ICE custody; or (B) the death of an individual within 30 days after release from ICE custody, if the death could reasonably be considered related to the individual’s detention, medical care, treatment, conditions of confinement, transport, the release process, or any other circumstance connected to ICE custody.
ICE custody would include immigration detention by ICE or an entity acting on its behalf. Coverage would extend to contracted, private, state, and local facilities, medical facilities, holding rooms, transport vehicles, and locations used during transfers.
The term ICE custody means that an individual is in the custody of the Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or by an entity acting on behalf of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, for purposes of immigration detention, including custody in— (A) an immigration detention facility; (B) a contracted, privately operated, State, or local detention facility used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; (C) a medical facility, holding room, or transport vehicle used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; or (D) any other location where an individual is held while being transferred between facilities or locations.
Within 24 hours after a covered death, the ICE Director would have to make reasonable efforts to notify the deceased person's next of kin and, where applicable, the appropriate consulate. If next-of-kin notification remained incomplete after 24 hours, reasonable efforts would have to continue until notification occurred.
Not later than 24 hours after a covered death, the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall make reasonable efforts to notify the next of kin of the deceased individual. In the case that the next of kin has not been notified in 24 hours, the Director shall continue to make reasonable efforts to notify until such notification is made.
Not later than 24 hours after a covered death, the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall make reasonable efforts to notify the appropriate consulate, where applicable.
Within 24 hours after a covered death, the Director would have to notify the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General and designated congressional committees. The congressional notice would describe notifications already made and identify any incomplete notifications and their status.
Not later than 24 hours after a covered death, the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall notify the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security.
Not later than 24 hours after a covered death, the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall notify the appropriate congressional committees, including a description of the notifications made pursuant to paragraphs (1) through (3). If any notification required under paragraphs (1) through (3) has not been made at the time such notice is provided to the appropriate congressional committees, the notice shall identify the notification that has not been made and describe the status of that notification.
The designated committees would be House Homeland Security, Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and the House and Senate Judiciary Committees.
The term appropriate congressional committees means— (A) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives; (B) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and (C) the Committees on Judiciary of the House of Representatives and Senate.
ICE would have to publish an interim website notice within 48 hours after a covered death, limited to objective information about known facts and circumstances. It would first have to make reasonable efforts to notify next of kin and the appropriate consulate, but completing notification would not be a precondition to publication. The designated congressional committees would receive the notice before or when it was posted.
Not later than 48 hours after a covered death, the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall publish an interim notice of the covered death on the internet website of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The interim notice required under paragraph (1) shall be limited to objective information about the known facts and circumstances surrounding the covered death.
The Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall make reasonable efforts to notify the next of kin and appropriate consulate in accordance with subsection (a) before posting an interim notice under paragraph (1). In the case that such notification has not been made, completion of such notification shall not be a precondition to publishing the notice under paragraph (1).
Before or contemporaneously with posting an interim notice under this subsection, the Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall provide such notice to the appropriate congressional committees.
Within 30 days after a covered death, ICE would have to complete and publish a detainee death report. The designated congressional committees would receive it before or when it was posted.
Not later than 30 days after a covered death, the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall complete and post on the internet website of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement a detainee death report for such covered death.
Before or contemporaneously with posting a detainee death report under this subsection, the Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall submit the report to the appropriate congressional committees.
Subject to the bill's privacy protections and to the extent known, the death report would include the person's name, death date and location, detention facilities, cause or suspected cause of death, relevant medical history or known conditions, and circumstances surrounding the death. It would state whether the death occurred in custody or within 30 days after release.
Subject to subsection (i), the detainee death report required under paragraph (1) shall include, to the extent known— (A) the name of the deceased individual; (B) the date of death; (C) the location of the individual at the time of death; (D) the facility or facilities where the individual was held, if applicable; (E) the cause or suspected cause of death; (F) relevant medical history or known medical conditions; (G) the circumstances surrounding the death; and (H) whether the death occurred while the individual was in ICE custody or within 30 days after release from ICE custody.
ICE would have to maintain the interim notices and death reports on its public website in a format people could download, search, and sort.
The Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall maintain, on the public-facing website of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the interim public notice under subsection (b) and the detainee death report under subsection (c) in a publicly accessible, downloadable, searchable, and sortable format.
Within 60 days after a covered death, ICE would have to complete a medical mortality review. It would examine medical history and clinical care in custody to determine the cause of death, whether changes or follow-up were needed, whether issues required further study, and whether acts, omissions, failures, or errors caused or materially contributed to the death.
Not later than 60 days after a covered death, the Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall complete a medical mortality review for such covered death.
A medical mortality review under this subsection shall evaluate the deceased individual’s medical history and clinical care while in ICE custody to determine— (A) the cause of death; (B) whether changes to policies, procedures, or practices are warranted; (C) whether follow-up actions are needed; (D) whether any issues require further study; and (E) whether any act, omission, failure to comply with applicable standards, policy failure, or other error caused or materially contributed to the individual’s death.
For a suicide, the medical mortality review could include a psychological autopsy. ICE could use available outside records, including autopsy and toxicology records. These provisions permit those steps rather than require them.
In the event of suicide, the medical mortality review may include a psychological autopsy.
The Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement may use available outside records if autopsy, toxicology, or other outside records are available.
Within 180 days after a covered death, ICE would have to complete a detention death review objectively examining detention, any release, and the death. It would assess whether care and treatment complied with applicable detention standards concerning health, safety, and security, and whether acts, omissions, failures, or errors caused or materially contributed to the death.
Not later than 180 days after a covered death, the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall complete a detention death review for such covered death.
A detention death review under this subsection shall include an objective examination of the facts and circumstances surrounding the individual’s detention, release if applicable, and death, including— (A) whether the individual received care and treatment consistent with applicable detention standards related to health, safety, and security; and (B) whether any act, omission, failure to comply with applicable standards, policy failure, or other error caused or materially contributed to the individual’s death.
The detention review would identify corrective actions, policy changes, training needs, or further investigation that may be warranted; this provision does not expressly require implementing every recommendation. ICE would send the completed review to the designated congressional committees and the Inspector General. If it could not finish within 180 days, it would have to send them written status updates every 30 days until completion.
A detention death review under this subsection shall identify any corrective actions, policy changes, training needs, or further investigation that may be warranted.
If the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement cannot complete a detention death review within the 180-day period described in paragraph (1), the Director shall provide a written status update to the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security and the appropriate congressional committees every 30 days until the review is completed.
The Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees and the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security the completed review under this subsection.
Upon learning of a covered death, ICE would have to preserve all related records and evidence, including medical and detention records, incident reports, video, and investigative materials.
Upon learning of a covered death, the Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall preserve all records and evidence related to the covered death, including medical records, detention records, incident reports, video footage, investigative materials, and other relevant materials.
Within 30 days after each fiscal quarter ends, ICE would have to report to the designated congressional committees on that quarter's covered deaths and earlier deaths with completed or ongoing medical mortality or detention death reviews. Reports would include death counts, custody or post-release status, the status of required notices, death reports, and reviews, and review findings and corrective actions to the extent appropriate for disclosure.
Not later than 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter, the Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on all covered deaths during such quarter and any covered deaths from previous quarters for which review under subsections (e) or (f) has been completed or is in progress.
Each report required under paragraph (1) shall include— (A) the number of covered deaths; (B) whether each covered death occurred while the individual was in ICE custody or within 30 days after release from ICE custody; (C) the status of any interim public notice required under subsection (b); (D) the status of any detainee death report required under subsection (c); (E) the status of any medical mortality review required under subsection (e); (F) the status of any detention death review required under subsection (f); (G) findings from completed reviews, to the extent appropriate for disclosure; and (H) any corrective actions recommended or implemented, to the extent appropriate for disclosure.
The bill would not require public disclosure prohibited by federal law. ICE could withhold or redact public information only as necessary to protect sensitive medical, privacy, law-enforcement, national-security, or next-of-kin information. These protections would not authorize withholding information from the designated congressional committees except to the extent federal law prohibited disclosure.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the public disclosure of information prohibited from disclosure by Federal law.
For any information made publicly available under this section, the Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement may withhold or redact information only to the extent necessary to protect sensitive medical, privacy, law enforcement, national security, or next-of-kin information.
Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize withholding information from the appropriate congressional committees, except to the extent disclosure is prohibited by Federal law.
Suicide, suspected suicide, or other sensitive circumstances would not by themselves exempt a covered death from the requirements.
A covered death shall not be exempt from the requirements of this section solely because the death involved suicide, suspected suicide, or other sensitive circumstances.
Section 3 would make the amendments effective 90 days after enactment. The new section's applicability rule would cover deaths occurring after that 90-day date.
The amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
The requirements of this section shall apply to any covered death occurring after the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this section.
The supplied action snapshot, updated October 9, 2026, records introduction in the House and referral to the House Judiciary Committee on September 15, 2026.
Source snapshot updated 2026-10-09T16:28:06Z. 2026-09-15: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. 2026-09-15: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2026-09-15. 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 after reviewing the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials, or any amendment's attachment history.
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 after reviewing the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials. Materials needed to assess formal earmark status beyond the text are absent.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No materially narrow preferential treatment, special exemption, or carve-out warranting a finding was identified after reviewing 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: Oct 9, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI