HR4667-119

What This Bill Does

The VISIBLE Act adds visible identification standards to Immigration and Nationality Act section 287. Covered immigration officers include CBP officers or employees, ICE officers or employees, and people authorized, deputized, or designated to perform immigration enforcement functions, including section 287(g) or other DHS delegations. Public immigration enforcement functions include patrols, stops, arrests, searches, immigration-status interviews, raids, checkpoint inspections, and service of judicial or administrative warrants; covert nonpublic operations and non-enforcement activities are excluded. During public immigration enforcement in the United States, covered officers must wear visible identification showing the full name or widely recognized initials of the employing agency plus the officer's last name or unique badge or identification number. Agency identification must be legible from at least 25 feet in daylight and low light, and name or badge information must be clearly visible and readable. DHS must ensure administrative discipline for noncompliance, including written reprimand, suspension, or other personnel actions consistent with agency policy and collective bargaining agreements. DHS must report annually to CRCL and congressional judiciary and homeland security committees on total public enforcement functions, noncompliance, and remedial or disciplinary actions. DHS CRCL must receive and investigate public complaints, issue recommendations to DHS components, include findings and actions in its annual public report, and coordinate with the DHS Inspector General as appropriate.

Who Benefits and How

People subject to public immigration enforcement benefit from visible agency and officer identification during stops, raids, checkpoints, and warrant service. Immigration legal service providers benefit from clearer badge or name information for complaints and case investigation. DHS Civil Rights and Civil Liberties investigators benefit from a specific complaint and recommendation role. Congressional oversight committees benefit from annual data on public enforcement functions and noncompliance.

Who Bears the Burden and How

ICE officers must display agency and last-name or badge-number identification during public immigration enforcement. CBP officers must comply with 25-foot agency-legibility and visible name or badge requirements. DHS must discipline noncompliance, collect annual data, report to Congress, and coordinate civil-rights investigations. Officers operating under section 287(g) or other DHS delegations must follow the visible identification standard.

Key Provisions

• Requires visible identification during public immigration enforcement functions.
• Defines covered officers to include ICE, CBP, and delegated immigration enforcement personnel.
• Requires agency identification legible from at least 25 feet and name or badge information that is clearly visible.
• Requires administrative discipline and annual DHS reports on enforcement functions, noncompliance, and remedial actions.
• Directs DHS Civil Rights and Civil Liberties to receive complaints, investigate, recommend corrective action, and report publicly.