I 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6795 

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to ensure access to appropriate 

temporary shelter, food, and water for individuals apprehended by U.S. 

Customs and Border Protection, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 18, 2022 

Ms. SLOTKIN (for herself, Mr. FITZPATRICK, and Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on the 

Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 

each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to ensure 

access to appropriate temporary shelter, food, and water 

for individuals apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border 

Protection, 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 ‘‘Short-Term Detention 

5 Standards Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE TEMPORARY SHELTER, 

2 FOOD, AND WATER DURING SHORT-TERM DE3 TENTION. 

4 Paragraph (1) of section 411(m) of the Homeland 

5 Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 211(m)) is amended to 

6 read as follows: 

7 ‘‘(1) ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE TEMPORARY

8 SHELTER, FOOD, AND WATER.—The Commissioner 

9 shall make every effort to ensure the provision to an 

10 individual apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border 

11 Protection of appropriate temporary shelter with ac12 cess to bathroom and shower facilities, water, appro13 priate nutrition, hygiene, personal grooming items, 

14 and sanitation needs.’’. 

15 SEC. 3. AUDIT AND INSPECTIONS OF DETENTION FACILI16 TIES. 

17 (a) OIG AND GAO.—The Inspector General of the 

18 Department of Homeland Security and the Comptroller 

19 General shall carry out regular audits and inspections, in20 cluding unannounced audits and inspections, of processes 

21 (including recordkeeping) utilized by U.S. Customs and 

22 Border Protection to conduct intake and process individ23 uals apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. 

24 The Inspector General and Comptroller General shall, to 

25 the extent possible, share information and coordinate to 


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1 ensure that Congress is provided timely audit and inspec2 tion information. 

3 (b) CONGRESSIONAL ACCESS.—The Commissioner of 

4 U.S. Customs and Border Protection may not— 

5 (1) prevent a Member of Congress or an em6 ployee of the United States House of Representa7 tives or the United States Senate designated by such 

8 a Member for the purposes of this section from en9 tering, for the purpose of conducting oversight, any 

10 such facility; and 

11 (2) make any temporary modification at any 

12 such facility that in any way alters what is observed 

13 by a visiting Member of Congress or such designated 

14 employee, compared to what would be observed in 

15 the absence of such modification. 

16 (c) PHOTOGRAPHS.—The Inspector General of the 

17 Department of Homeland Security, Comptroller General, 

18 a Member of Congress, or an employee of the United 

19 States House of Representatives or United States Senate 

20 shall be authorized to take photographs or video or audio 

21 recordings of conditions in a facility but may not publish 

22 photographs or video or audio recordings with personally 

23 identifiable information without permission. 

Æ 


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