H.R. 8223: Recovering Expended Costs from Operationally Unwarranted Policing Act of 2026

This bill, titled the Recovering Expended Costs from Operationally Unwarranted Policing Act of 2026 or RECOUP Act of 2026, aims to establish a reimbursement system for state and local first responder agencies that respond to requests from federal immigration enforcement agencies, specifically U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Key Provisions of the Bill

1. Reimbursement Process

The Secretary of Homeland Security would be responsible for reimbursing state and local first responder agencies that assist ICE or CBP in immigration enforcement activities. This reimbursement would cover the costs associated with their response to these requests.

2. Collection of Information

The bill outlines a procedure for collecting information from agencies that respond to immigration enforcement requests:

• The Secretary of Homeland Security would gather details such as the name, badge number, agency name, and contact information from first responders involved in these actions.
• If the Secretary gathers this information, they would request additional details from the responding agencies within 30 days.
• After receiving the necessary information, the Secretary would reimburse the agencies within 30 days.

3. Agency Request for Reimbursement

If the Secretary does not collect the required information directly, the head of the responding agency can submit a reimbursement request that includes:

• The date and location of the response.
• A detailed estimate of reimbursable costs, including information on the first responders, the duration of their response, and their pay rates.

The Secretary must approve and process these requests for reimbursement within 30 days, unless it is found that the agency did not respond to the request.

4. Protection of Personal Information

The bill also includes a provision to protect the personally identifiable information of first responders collected during this process. Such information may not be released unless compelled by a court order.

5. Funding and Implementation

The bill would authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security to implement the reimbursement system using unobligated funds previously appropriated for ICE or CBP, which would remain available until January 20, 2029.

Relevant Companies

None found.