I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1497 

To require all deportation officers of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to wear body cameras when engaged in field operations and removal 

proceedings, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 10, 2017 

Ms. CLARKE of New York (for herself, Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of 

New Mexico, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. 

VEASEY, Ms. LEE, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. BASS, 

Mr. RICHMOND, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. EVANS, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, Mr. MEEKS, Ms. 

VELA ́ZQUEZ, Mr. SOTO, and Ms. KELLY of Illinois) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To require all deportation officers of U.S. Immigrations and 

Customs Enforcement to wear body cameras when engaged in field operations and removal proceedings, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘ICE Body Camera Act 

5 of 2017’’. 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 1497 IH

1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

2 Congress finds the following: 

3 (1) Body cameras employed in police actions 

4 have led to increases in public trust and decreases 

5 in police violence. 

6 (2) Employing body cameras in police actions 

7 makes enforcement actions safer for law enforce8 ment officers and members of the general public 

9 alike while restoring trust and accountability in the 

10 process. 

11 SEC. 3. USE OF BODY CAMERAS BY CERTAIN ICE OFFICERS. 

12 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months after 

13 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of U.S. 

14 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shall en15 sure that all deportation officers of Enforcement and Re16 moval Operations of ICE wear body cameras when such 

17 officers are engaged in field operations or removal pro18 ceedings. 

19 (b) IMPLEMENTATION.—To carry out subsection (a), 

20 the Director of ICE shall, not later than 12 months after 

21 the date of the enactment of this Act— 

22 (1) establish policies and procedures for when 

23 deportation officers of Enforcement and Removal 

24 Operations of ICE should wear, activate, and deacti25 vate body cameras; 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 1497 IH

1 (2) develop standards for the effective place2 ment of such cameras; 

3 (3) publish and implement best practices for re4 ceiving and storing accurate recordings from such 

5 cameras; 

6 (4) establish guidelines and training for such 

7 officers on the proper management and use of such 

8 cameras; and 

9 (5) establish policies for the availability of such 

10 recordings to the subjects of removal proceedings, 

11 victims of crime, internal use by law enforcement of12 ficials, and the general public. 

13 SEC. 4. RECORDINGS TO BE PROVIDED TO CERTAIN PER14 SONS. 

15 A recording made by a body camera worn by a depor16 tation officer during an enforcement action shall be pro17 vided, in the case of any administrative proceeding (in18 cluding a removal proceeding), civil action, or criminal 

19 prosecution to which such recording pertains, to each 

20 party to the proceeding, action, or prosecution. 

21 SEC. 5. WITHHOLDING OF CERTAIN FUNDS. 

22 Any funds necessary to purchase, store, use, or main23 tain body cameras described in this Act shall be derived 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 1497 IH

1 from funds made available to purchase new weapons for 

2 ICE officials. 

Æ 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS