This bill requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection to create and distribute official guidance on how to handle the personal belongings of people arrested, restrained, or confined by the agency. Within 180 days of the law's passage, CBP must develop procedures that allow detainees to keep as much personal property as safely and operationally possible, and ensure property is returned immediately upon release. The guidance must specifically protect essential items like religious articles, medical devices, legal documents, cell phones, medications, and family contact information, while allowing CBP to restrict or discard property only when necessary for safety or operational reasons. CBP must consult with immigration advocacy groups and the Department of Homeland Security's Immigration Detention Ombudsman when developing these rules, and must track how well staff comply with them. The agency must report annually to Congress and the Government Accountability Office for six years on how the guidance is working, including data on any discarded property and efforts to reduce such instances.
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