# Summary
The Families Deserve to Know Act requires U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to notify emergency contacts when individuals in their custody die, suffer serious illness, or are seriously injured. The agency must collect emergency contact information when taking custody and update it every 90 days, then notify those contacts within 12 hours of death and within 12 to 24 hours of serious illness or injury, depending on severity. Notifications must include specific medical details and be delivered compassionately in the person's preferred language. The bill applies to all ICE detention facilities, including contracted and private facilities, and requires contractors to include these notification requirements in their agreements, with daily civil penalties of $100,000 for violations and potential contract termination after two failures in a year. The legislation also authorizes families to sue the government or facility operators for damages of at least $100,000 per violation and creates reporting requirements for Congress and the public, with no additional federal funding needed for implementation.
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