The Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act would: Repeal mandatory detention;
Repeal mandatory immigration detention.
Occurrences
Evidence
Rep. Adam Smith introduced H.R. 2314, the Accountability in Immigration Detention Act of 2015. The bill focused on detention-facility standards, DHS oversight, phone costs, sexual abuse prevention, limits on solitary confinement, and alternatives to detention; it did not repeal mandatory detention.
On June 16, 2026, ICE released new detention standards for roughly 60,000 people in custody, easing operational burdens on contractors and jails while keeping detention in place. The update streamlines rules and does not repeal mandatory immigration detention.
Assessments
Smith took concrete action on immigration detention by introducing H.R. 2314 in 2015, but that bill addressed detention standards, oversight, and alternatives rather than repealing mandatory immigration detention itself. The core promised outcome was not achieved, and the later 2026 evidence shows the detention system and mandatory-detention framework were still in place. Because he materially advanced related reform but did not deliver the promised repeal, partial credit fits better than full delivery or a failed near-miss repeal attempt.