ICE and CBP Body Camera Accountability Act

To require agents and officers of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to wear body cameras, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the ICE and CBP Body Camera Accountability Act 2. Use of body cameras by agents and officers of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (a) In general Not later than the date that the rule under subsection (e) is finalized, the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shall ensure that agents and officers of ICE and CBP, as the case may be, wear body cameras when such agents and officers are engaged in official operations. (b) Implementation To carry out this section, the Director of ICE and the Commissioner of CBP shall establish— (1) policies, procedures, and best practices for the use of body cameras by agents and officers of ICE and CBP, including training relating to the use of such cameras; and (2) policies and procedures for carrying out adverse actions under subsection (f). (c) Always-On Body cameras worn by agents and officers of ICE and CBP shall be turned on at the beginning of the shift of such agents and officers and shall remain on for the duration of such shifts. (d) Availability of body camera footage Footage collected by such a body camera shall be made available to each party to any administrative proceeding, civil action, or criminal prosecution to which such footage pertains in accordance with such requirements as the Secretary of Homeland Security shall by rule require under subsection (e). If such footage is not made available, such a party may notify the Director of ICE or the Commissioner of CBP, as the case may be, in writing for purposes of instigating an adverse action described in subsection (f). (e) Rulemaking Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall commence a rulemaking regarding the use of body cameras and the provision of footage in accordance with subsection (d) that is consistent with the Civil Rights Principles for Body Worn Cameras Model Act for Regulating the Use of Wearable Body Cameras by Law Enforcement An Act Relative to Body-Worn Cameras for Law Enforcement Officers, (f) Adverse actions for absence of body camera footage An agent or officer of ICE or CBP whose body camera does not record footage because of a violation of subsection (c) shall be subject to furlough, reduction in pay or grade, or a suspension of up to 30 days under subchapter II of chapter 75 (g) Prohibition on new funding No additional funding is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act. This Act shall be carried out using amounts otherwise made available for such purposes.

Summary: ICE and CBP Body Camera Accountability Act This bill directs U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to ensure that ICE and CBP agents and officers wear body cameras when engaged in official operations. ICE and CBP must establish: (1) policies for the use of such cameras, and (2) procedures for carrying out adverse actions for noncompliance with such policies. Such cameras must be on for an agent's or officer's entire shift. Footage collected by such a body camera shall be made available to each party to any administrative proceeding, civil action, or criminal prosecution to which it pertains. If such footage is not made available, such a party may notify ICE or CBP in writing for purposes of instigating an adverse action for noncompliance. DHS shall commence a rulemaking regarding the use of body cameras and the provision of footage that is consistent with the "Civil Rights Principles for Body Worn Cameras" of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, May 2015. An ICE or CBP agent or officer whose body camera does not record footage in violation of this bill shall be subject to furlough, reduction in pay or grade, or a suspension of up to 30 days. If a body camera does not record at a time when the camera is required to be active, DHS may not determine that the camera suffered a malfunction unless the agent or officer submits evidence sufficient to establish that a malfunction occurred.