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H.R. 8557House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Short-Term Holding Facility Standards Restoration Act.

Sponsored by Greg StantonRep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ)
Introduced April 28, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated May 7, 2026 at 9:22 AM UTC

The Short‑Term Holding Facility Standards Restoration Act would stop U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from holding detainees in its facilities for more than 12 hours, except in limited emergency situations. It sets basic health and safety standards for those facilities and requires the Department of Homeland Security to track, report, and be audited on any longer‑term detentions.

Key Provisions

  • ICE holding facilities may only be used for short‑term custody (up to 12 hours) unless an "exceptional circumstance" such as a medical emergency, natural disaster, transfer delay, or other urgent operational condition occurs.
  • The Secretary of Homeland Security must ensure each facility is safe, clean, equipped with restrooms, and free of weapons, and must provide detainees with a meal at least every six hours, continuous water, and immediate food or milk for minors, pregnant or breastfeeding women.
  • Any instance where a detainee is held longer than the 12‑hour limit must be documented at the time it occurs, and those records must be kept for five years.
  • The Secretary must submit an annual report to Congress detailing the number, duration, reasons, and corrective actions for any non‑short‑term detentions.
  • The DHS Inspector General will conduct periodic audits of ICE holding facilities and related records to ensure compliance.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

April 28, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

April 28, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

April 28, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued April 28, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 8557

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 28, 2026

Mr. Stanton (for himself, Ms. Ansari, and Mrs. Grijalva) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To prohibit long-term custody in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding facilities, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Short-Term Holding Facility Standards Restoration Act.

2.

Findings

Congress finds the following:

(1)

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding facilities are designed for short-term custody and processing.

(2)

Prior U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement policy defined short-term as not exceeding 12 hours, absent exceptional circumstances.

(3)

Prolonged detention in holding facilities undermines detainee welfare, facility design limits, and operational intent.

(4)

Restoring the 12-hour standard ensures consistency with prior agency guidance.

3.

Limitation on duration of detention

(a)

In general

The Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that, absent exceptional circumstances described in subsection (b), a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding facility may only be used for short-term custody of a detainee.

(b)

Exceptional circumstances

Exceptional circumstances are temporary and unforeseen circumstances requiring immediate action, including—

(1)

medical emergencies;

(2)

natural disasters or facility disruptions;

(3)

transportation or transfer delays beyond the control of the Department of Homeland Security; or

(4)

other exigent operational conditions as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security.

4.

Humane conditions

The Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that—

(1)

each U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding facility is safe, clean, equipped with restroom facilities, and clear of any object that could be used as a weapon; and

(2)

each detainee in such facility—

(A)

is provided a meal not less than every 6 hours;

(B)

in the case of a minor, pregnant woman, or breastfeeding woman, is provided immediate access to meals, snacks, milk, and juice, without regard to the amount of time in custody; and

(C)

is provided with access to drinking water in each room in which a detainee is held at all times.

5.

Documentation and compliance

(a)

Documentation

The Secretary of Homeland Security shall require contemporaneous documentation of any instance in which a detainee is held in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding facility for custody other than short-term custody.

(b)

Retention

Records under this section shall be maintained for oversight, audit, and reporting purposes for a period of 5 years.

6.

Oversight and reporting

(a)

Annual report

The Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to Congress an annual report detailing—

(1)

the number of detainees held in custody other than short-term custody in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding facility;

(2)

the duration of such custody;

(3)

the justification for each instance in which a detainee is held in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding facility for custody other than short-term custody; and

(4)

corrective actions taken to ensure compliance.

(b)

Inspector General review

The Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security shall perform periodic audits of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding facilities and Department of Homeland Security records to ensure compliance with this Act.

7.

Definitions

For the purposes of this Act—

(1)

the term holding facility means any facility or holding room for temporary custody, processing, or transfer, and not designed for long-term detention; and

(2)

the term short-term custody means detention in a holding facility for a period not to exceed 12 hours, absent exceptional circumstances.