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H.R. 10894House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Disaster Data Protection Act

To prohibit the Secretary of Homeland Security from obtaining certain personally identifiable information.

Sponsored by Brittany PettersenRep. Brittany Pettersen (D-CO)
Introduced October 22, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated October 23, 2026 at 8:35 AM UTC

The Disaster Data Protection Act aims to stop the Department of Homeland Security, specifically the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), from using federal money to obtain personal data that nonprofit groups collect after a natural disaster. It seeks to protect disaster victims’ private information unless a court issues a warrant.

Key Provisions

  • Prohibits ICE from using federal funds to acquire personally identifiable information (PII) gathered by non‑governmental entities in response to a natural disaster.
  • Allows a nonprofit or other non‑governmental entity to share that PII with ICE only if ICE first obtains a judicial warrant.
  • Defines “personally identifiable information” broadly to include names, addresses, Social Security numbers, biometric data, and other details that can identify an individual.
  • Defines “natural disaster” to cover events such as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, wildfires, and other large‑scale catastrophes in the United States.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

October 22, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

October 22, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

October 22, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued October 22, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 10894

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 22, 2026

Ms. Pettersen (for herself and Ms. Kamlager-Dove) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To prohibit the Secretary of Homeland Security from obtaining certain personally identifiable information.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Disaster Data Protection Act.

2.

Prohibition on sharing certain personally identifiable information

(a)

In general

No Federal funds may be used by the Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to obtain personally identifiable information collected by non-governmental entity in response to a natural disaster.

(b)

Exception

A non-governmental entity may provide personal information to the Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement if the Director obtains a judicial warrant for such information.

(c)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Personally identifiable information

The term personally identifiable information means—

(A)

any information that can be used to distinguish or trace the identity of an individual, including such as a name, residential address, a social security number, an alien registration number, a date and place of birth, or a parent's maiden name; or

(B)

any item, collection, or grouping of information about an individual that is maintained by a non-governmental entity, including education, financial transactions, medical history, and criminal or employment history and that contains a name, finger or voice print, or a photograph.

(2)

Natural disaster

The term natural disaster means any hurricane, tornado, storm, flood, high water, wind-driven water, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, drought, fire, or other catastrophe in any part of the United States which causes, or which may cause, substantial damage or injury to civilian property or persons.