The Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act would: ... Mandate the DHS Inspector General to conduct unannounced inspections with meaningful penalties for failure to comply with standards;
Mandate unannounced DHS Inspector General inspections of immigration detention facilities with penalties for failing to meet standards.
Occurrences
Evidence
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
H.R. 6397 was introduced by Rep. Jayapal for herself and Mr. Smith of Washington. Section 5 would require the DHS Inspector General to conduct annual unannounced, in-person inspections of each DHS detention facility. For noncompliance, it would require penalties including fines of not less than 10 percent of the contract value for non-DHS-owned facilities, follow-up inspections, contract termination for repeated failures, transfers, and suspension of DHS-owned facilities until compliance is certified.
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
Congress.gov lists H.R. 6397 as sponsored by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, with Rep. Adam Smith [D-WA-9] as an original cosponsor on 12/03/2025. The bill's latest action is referral to the House Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees, and the tracker states the bill has the status Introduced, before Passed House, Passed Senate, To President, and Became Law.
Assessments
Adam Smith materially supported legislation matching the promise by serving as an original cosponsor of H.R. 6397, which would require annual unannounced DHS Inspector General inspections of immigration detention facilities and impose penalties for noncompliance. However, the bill remains only introduced and referred to House committees, with no evidence that the inspection mandate and penalty regime became law or were otherwise implemented. This is a serious legislative effort but not delivery of the promised outcome.