Gottheimer introduces ICE Standards Act to set guardrails for immigration enforcement
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer on Wednesday announced new legislation aimed at establishing national standards for Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, saying the proposal would strengthen accountability while protecting constitutional rights.
The ICE Standards Act, unveiled Jan. 28, 2026, would create mandatory professional and constitutional guardrails for federal homeland security and immigration enforcement agencies. Gottheimer, a Democrat who represents New Jersey’s 5th Congressional District, described the measure as commonsense legislation designed to protect the public and law enforcement officers alike.
Under the proposal, ICE agents would be required to complete standardized initial and annual training, including instruction on de-escalation, constitutional search and seizure, and conducting enforcement activities appropriately in public and protest settings. The legislation would also require an immediate report to Congress detailing the training ICE agents currently receive.
The bill would mandate the use of body-worn and vehicle dashboard cameras during enforcement operations to increase transparency and accountability. It would also establish uniform and identification standards to ensure agents are clearly identifiable, except in cases where undercover work has been formally approved.
Additional provisions would require agents to prioritize risk minimization and de-escalation during encounters, reflecting the increasing frequency of public-facing enforcement activities by ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The bill would also draw a firm constitutional line protecting U.S. citizens by requiring every reasonable effort to verify citizenship before detention and prohibiting the harassment or deportation of American citizens, which is already prohibited under federal law.
The legislation would further restrict immigration enforcement actions at sensitive locations such as schools, hospitals, places of worship and voting sites unless exigent circumstances exist. It would also require advance notification and transparency with state and local law enforcement agencies before federal immigration operations take place within a municipality or jurisdiction.
“I believe that you can have tough borders, keep the gang members, terrorists, and other criminals out — and still live up to our values. But, we certainly don’t need inadequately trained ICE agents, with zero guardrails, roaming the streets,” Gottheimer said. “That’s why I’m announcing new legislation, the ICE Standards Act, to put clear, enforceable standards in place for the Department of Homeland Security and its ICE immigration officers — standards that will protect the public, protect officers, and uphold the rule of law.”
Gottheimer said the legislation is intended to balance border security with constitutional protections and professional standards for federal enforcement agencies.
