H.R. 5653: Trust Through Transparency Act of 2025

This bill, titled the Trust Through Transparency Act of 2025, aims to enhance accountability and transparency in U.S. immigration enforcement. It specifically amends section 287 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to require all immigration enforcement officers to wear body cameras during public-facing immigration enforcement activities. Here are the main components of the bill:

Body Camera Requirements

• Mandatory Usage: All covered immigration officers must wear and operate body cameras during public immigration enforcement functions, such as patrols, stops, arrests, and searches.
• Retention of Footage: Video footage must be retained for six months, after which it will be deleted unless it captures specific events, such as:
  • Any use of force by the officer.
  • Events related to an arrest or attempted arrest for a crime.
  • Encounters that have received a formal complaint from a subject captured in the footage.
• Extended Retention: Footage may be kept for a minimum of three years if requested by certain parties, including the officers involved or subjects of the footage, under specific conditions.

Definitions

• Covered Immigration Officer: Refers to any individual authorized to perform immigration enforcement functions, including employees of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
• Body Worn Camera: Defined as a mobile audio and video recording system carried by law enforcement, excluding devices used in undercover operations.
• Public Immigration Enforcement Function: Activities involving the direct exercise of federal immigration authority that are visible to the public.

Compliance and Reporting

• Accountability: Immigration officers who fail to comply with body camera requirements will face administrative discipline based on agency policy.
• Annual Reporting: The Secretary of Homeland Security must submit annual reports to Congress and other relevant bodies detailing:
  • The total number of public immigration enforcement functions conducted.
  • Instances of noncompliance with the body camera requirements.
  • Actions taken against officers for noncompliance.
• Public Availability: These reports will be made available to the public within 30 days but may be redacted for sensitive information.
• Independent Review Panel: An advisory panel with experts in various fields will be established to provide recommendations on body camera policies.

Relevant Companies

• None found