This bill mandates the creation of an online detainee locator system by DHS, requires notification for medical transfers, and increases public reporting on CBP arrests and enforcement operations.
Rashida Tlaib
Representative
MI-12
This bill, the "Find Our Families Act of 2026," mandates the creation of a public, online detainee locator system for individuals in CBP and ICE custody, accessible in multiple languages. It requires timely posting of custody and location information, along with new notification requirements for medical transfers to family members. Additionally, the bill requires the public reporting of detailed information regarding CBP arrests and ongoing enforcement operations.
Find Our Families Act Mandates 8-Hour Tracking for Immigration Detainees: New Online Portal and Medical Alerts Proposed
Navigating the immigration system is notoriously difficult, but a new proposal called the Find Our Families Act of 2026 aims to pull back the curtain on where people are being held. The bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to build and maintain a public, online locator system for anyone in the custody of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This isn't just a vague promise; the law sets a strict 8-hour deadline for officials to upload a detainee’s name, birth date, and the specific facility address where they are being held. To ensure the system is actually usable for the people who need it most, it must be available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole, plus any other top-10 languages spoken by those encountered at the border.
Digital Breadcrumbs for Real-Time Tracking
The bill addresses the common problem of detainees "disappearing" into the system during transfers. Under Section 2, if a person is moved to a new facility, DHS has 8 hours to update the online portal with the new location and a time-stamped log of the move. For long hauls—transfers lasting more than five hours—the system must display the mode of transportation and the estimated arrival time. Think of it like a tracking number for a package, but for human beings, providing families and lawyers with a digital paper trail. To protect privacy, the bill specifically bans the public listing of anyone under 18, and all data is wiped 60 days after a person is released or removed from the country.
Medical Emergencies and Hospital Rights
One of the most critical updates involves what happens during a health crisis. Section 3 mandates that if a detainee is transferred to a hospital or medical facility, DHS must notify their family or legal representative within 5 hours. This notice isn't just a heads-up; it must include the facility’s contact info, the symptoms that led to the transfer, and any available diagnosis. Crucially, the bill explicitly states that family members have the right to visit their loved ones in the hospital unless the patient specifically says no. This removes the bureaucratic wall that often prevents families from being present during end-of-life care or serious medical procedures.
Accountability and the Paper Trail
To make sure this isn't just another ignored mandate, the bill introduces teeth for non-compliance. If an employee fails to update the system, they face internal discipline, including potential pay cuts or 30-day suspensions, and the case gets referred to the Inspector General. For private contractors running detention centers, failing to provide timely data could cost them their government contract. Furthermore, Section 4 requires CBP to publish a public dashboard of all arrests, detailing the location, the method of apprehension, and whether a warrant was used. This gives the public and lawmakers a quarterly look at the actual costs and justifications for enforcement operations, moving the conversation from anecdotes to hard data.