Representatives Peters, Goldman, Krishnamoorthi Introduce Legislation to Restrict Excessive Use of Force by ICE

Washington, DC - Today, Reps. Scott Peters (CA-50), Dan Goldman (NY-10), and Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-8) introduced the Stop Excessive Force in Immigration Act, a bill to make our communities safer by establishinga stronger standard for Federal immigration agent's use of force. All law enforcement officers should be focused on upholding public safety. Yet in recent months the tactics of federal agentsare more aggressive and dangerous, making everyone in our communities less safe.

Under President Trump, federal agents have been captured using excessive force against non-violentAmerican citizens, immigrants, journalists, protesters, priests, and others. There has been a significant increase in the careless use ofharmful equipment like flash bangs, pepper balls, and tear gas. During a recent 60 Minutes interview,President Trump was asked about violent examples of immigration enforcementand statedthat immigration raids have "not gone far enough."

"In May, Federal agents stormed into Buona Forchetta, a small, neighborhood restaurant that was filled with families.Theythrew the owner against the wall, handcuffed all employees, and used flash-bang grenades on concerned bystanders outside the restaurant. Why terrorizelaw-abiding, hardworking people?Thatmakes no one safer; it makes Americansless safe," said Rep. Peters. "Immigration enforcement should not be conducted by masked, unidentified agents using unchecked force and aggressively deploying tear gas, pepper balls, and flash bangs. We must curb excessive force and make it easier to identifyofficers acting improperly, while ensuring Federal law enforcement can still apprehend those who pose a genuine threat to public safety and nationalsecurity."

"ICE, CBP, and DHS agents must be held to the same constitutional standards as every other law enforcement officer," said Rep. Krishnamoorthi. "Yet each day of the Trump Administration's 'Operation Midway Blitz' brings a new story of excessive force being used in Chicago and its suburbs-from a faith leader shot with a pepperballwhile praying outside Broadview to a reporter struck while documenting ICE protests to my own constituents being terrorized for performing civilian oversight over DHS's actions. This unchecked aggression against civilians must stop. Our Stop Excessive Force in Immigration Act restores transparency and safeguards both the public and law enforcement by ensuring clear standards, mandatory body cameras, and a fundamental respect for basic rights."

"For months now, we all have seen how encounters with immigration enforcement mean chaos, violence, and trauma, regardless of immigration status. The Stop Excessive Force in Immigration Act brings humanity and transparency into those moments. It limits the use of militarized force and ensures that agents are accountable to the communities in which they operate. Every family deserves to feel safe. Every life deserves dignity," said Angelica Salas, Executive Director, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA).

"Masked agents endangering our people with unnecessary force is an affront to the principles of American democracy," said Deborah Weinstein, Executive Director, Coalition on Human Needs. "The Coalition on Human Needs is proud to endorse the Stop Excessive Force in Immigration Act and standswith Rep. Peters and co-sponsors in requiring accountability and careful restrictions on federal immigration officials' use of force."

"The Trump administration's reckless and indiscriminate immigration enforcement actions have stoked fear in communities across the country," said Nick Wilson, senior director of Gun Violence Prevention Policy, Center for American Progress. "We welcome the introduction of the Stop Excessive Force in Immigration Act, which seeksto ensure the safety of our communities and officers by implementing common sense standards to improve transparency and accountability in enforcement actions. Law enforcement should protect the public, not trample on people's rightsand put Americans at risk. This bill offers urgently needed guardrails and accountability mechanisms that ensure that federal law enforcement better protects and promotes the rights and safety of communities."

"As ICE under President Trump pursues increasingly extreme actions against both immigrants and U.S. citizens, lawmakers must act to protect their constituents and uphold public safety. The Stop Excessive Force in Immigration Act does exactly that-ensuring federal officers have the tools they need to safeguard the public and themselves, without undermining the security of the communities they are supposed to serve," said Sarah Pierce, Director of Social Policy, Third Way. "Itstraining, oversight, and proportionality requirements are especially critical as ICE expands its workforce through rushed recruitment and abbreviated onboarding. Immigration enforcement should strengthen public safety and the integrity of our immigration system-but never at the expense of the public's security."

The authority to use force is a serious responsibility, and every person has a right to be free from excessive use of force by law. The bill restricts Federal immigration enforcementagents'use of crowd munitions like tear gas, aligns immigration enforcement with the heightened DOJ standards on use of force, and creates greater transparency in enforcement by requiring the use of body cameras and strictly limitingthe use of masks.

The bill is also supported by original cosponsors Representatives Nydia Velázquez, Yvette Clarke, Ro Khanna, Gil Cisneros, Judy Chu, Brad Schneider, Juan Vargas, Emily Randall, Sylvia Garcia, Mike Quigley, Robin Kelly, Veronica Escobar, Jimmy Panetta, Seth Moulton, Linda Sanchez, Doris Matsui, Mike Thompson, Jerrold Nadler, Luz Rivas, Shri Thanedar, and Julia Brownley.

The bill has been endorsed by CHIRLA - The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, the Coalition on Human Needs, Church World Service, and Third Way.

The bill text is available here, a one pager is available here, a Section by Section is available here, and examples of excessive use of force are available here.

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