I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4542 
To prohibit the operation and funding of an immigration detention facility 
in the Everglades, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 17, 2025 
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (for herself, Mr. FROST, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, 
Mr. SOTO, Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mrs. 
CHERFILUS-MCCORMICK, and Mr. MOSKOWITZ) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addi-
tion to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To prohibit the operation and funding of an immigration 
detention facility in the Everglades, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘No Cages in the Ever-
glades Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON OPERATION AND FUNDING OF IM-
MIGRATION DETENTION FACILITY IN THE EV-
ERGLADES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law, no funds made available to the Department 
of Homeland Security, including U.S. Immigration and 
Customs Enforcement, may be obligated or expended for 
the following: 
(1) Planning, construction, leasing, operation, 
staffing, or maintenance of any immigration deten-
tion facility located within or adjacent to the Ever-
glades ecosystem. 
(2) Contracting with any public entity for the 
purposes described in paragraph (1). 
(b) RIGHT OF ACCESS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, any facility, including any facility 
described in subsection (a)(1), used to detain or 
house individuals in the custody of the Department 
of Homeland Security, including U.S. Immigration 
and Customs Enforcement, or that is used to detain 
or house individuals by the Department, whether op-
erated by the Federal Government or a State or 
local government, shall allow Members of Congress 
and designated congressional staff to conduct an-
nounced or unannounced inspections of such facility 
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at any time, consistent with applicable security and 
safety protocols. 
(2) PROHIBITION ON LIMITATION.—The right 
of access described in paragraph (1) may not be 
waived, limited, or conditioned by any contract, 
lease, memorandum of understanding, or other 
agreement between the Department of Homeland 
Security and any State or local government operator 
of a facility described in paragraph (1). 
(3) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 
subsection may be construed to require a Member of 
Congress or designated congressional staff to provide 
prior notice of the intent to enter a facility described 
in paragraph (1) for the purpose of conducting over-
sight. 
(c) INDEPENDENT REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Inspector 
General of the Department of Homeland Security 
shall conduct an independent inquiry and submit to 
the appropriate congressional committees a report 
regarding the facility described in subsection (a)(1). 
Such report shall contain the following: 
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(A) An accounting of the use of funds allo-
cated to or made available to the Department 
for such facility. 
(B) A description of the process that led to 
the construction of such facility. 
(C) An evaluation of whether such facility 
satisfies minimum Federal standards, including 
the following: 
(i) 
National 
Detention 
Standards 
(NDS) 2000. 
(ii) Performance-Based National De-
tention Standards (PBNDS) 2008. 
(iii) PBNDS 2011. 
(iv) NDS 2019. 
(v) 
Family 
Residential 
Standards 
2020. 
(vi) Temporary Housing Standards. 
(D) A description of any formal or infor-
mal complaints registered by individuals de-
tained at such facility regarding detention con-
ditions, access to counsel, or treatment. 
(E) An assessment of ecological risks re-
sulting from the construction and operation of 
such facility, as well as the risks for detained 
individuals, officers, and staff at such facility as 
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a result of flooding, hurricanes, or other natural 
disasters. 
(2) BRIEFINGS.—The Inspector General of the 
Department of Homeland Security shall provide to 
the appropriate congressional committees briefings 
on the contents of the report required under para-
graph (1). 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means the following: 
(A) In the House of Representatives, the 
following: 
(i) The Committee on Homeland Se-
curity. 
(ii) The Committee on the Judiciary. 
(iii) The Committee on Appropria-
tions. 
(B) In the Senate, the following: 
(i) The Committee on Homeland Se-
curity and Governmental Affairs. 
(ii) The Committee on the Judiciary. 
(iii) The Committee on Appropria-
tions. 
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(2) DESIGNATED CONGRESSIONAL STAFF.—The 
term ‘‘designated congressional staff’’ means any 
employee employed by the official office of a Member 
of Congress, or employed by an official Committee 
of the House of Representatives or the Senate. 
(3) EVERGLADES ECOSYSTEM.—The term ‘‘Ev-
erglades ecosystem’’ means the hydrologically con-
nected wetland areas of southern Florida, including 
Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades National 
Park, Water Conservation Areas, and adjacent wet-
lands. 
(4) FACILITY.—The term ‘‘facility’’ means any 
building, site, or structure at which individuals in 
Department of Homeland Security custody are 
housed or detained. 
Æ 
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