H.R. 8984

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8984 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8984

To prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from constructing, 
acquiring, renovating, or operating any new processing site or 
detention center without providing a mechanism for public comments 
regarding such activity, entering into a signed, written agreement with 
appropriate State and local officials, and providing Congress with 
advance notice of such activity.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 21, 2026

Mr. Morelle 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 Department of Homeland Security from constructing, 
acquiring, renovating, or operating any new processing site or 
detention center without providing a mechanism for public comments 
regarding such activity, entering into a signed, written agreement with 
appropriate State and local officials, and providing Congress with 
advance notice of such activity.

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 ``Respect Our Communities Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Appropriate local government officials.--The term 
``appropriate local government officials'' means--
(A) the mayor, county executive, or equivalent 
elected official of the town, city, county or other 
local jurisdiction in which a new processing facility 
or detention center will be located; and
(B) a majority of the town council, city council, 
county council, county commission, or equivalent 
legislative authority in which a new processing 
facility or detention center will be located.
(2) New processing site or detention center.--The term 
``new processing site or detention center'' means any facility 
operated by, or pursuant to a contract with, U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 
including any facility designed under the Detention 
Reengineering Initiative, that, beginning on or after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, will be used to temporarily hold 
persons pending the resolution or completion of immigration 
removal operations or processes.

SEC. 3. REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW CBP AND ICE PROCESSING SITES AND DETENTION 
CENTERS.

The Department of Homeland Security or any other Federal agency may 
not initiate the construction, acquisition, renovation, or operation 
of, or otherwise acquire an interest in real property to be used as, a 
new processing site or detention center for U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement until--
(1) the relevant Federal agency issues a public notice in 
the Federal Register that--
(A) is open for public comments for a period 
lasting at least 30 days;
(B) describes the scope of the construction, 
acquisition, renovation, or operation;
(C) includes information regarding such agency's 
due diligence process, which shall explain how such 
agency will comply with--
(i) Federal guidance and standards related 
to immigration detention; and
(ii) applicable environmental regulations;
(D) includes any other information or documentation 
relevant to such new processing site or detention 
center; and
(E) includes an economic impact analysis and an 
engineering review that addresses the site or center's 
waste exportation, water usage, and electrical demand;
(2) after the conclusion of the public comment period, the 
head of the relevant Federal agency--
(A) considers and responds to significant comments 
received in accordance with subchapter II of chapter 5 
of title 5, United States Code; and
(B) enters into a signed, written agreement with 
appropriate local government officials and the Governor 
of the State in which such processing site or detention 
center will be located that authorizes such 
construction, acquisition, renovation, or operation, as 
applicable; and
(3) at least 30 days has elapsed since the head of the 
relevant Federal agency submitted a report to the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the 
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the Committee on the 
Judiciary of the Senate, the Committee on Homeland Security of 
the House of Representatives, the Committee on Appropriations 
of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on the 
Judiciary of the House of Representatives regarding such 
planned construction, acquisition, renovation, or operation 
that includes a fully executed copy of the agreement described 
in paragraph (2).
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