Congresswoman Luz Rivas Introduces Bill to Support Communities Impacted by ICE Raids

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Luz Rivas (CA-29) introduced the Healing and Equity for Enforcement-Affected Residents and Trauma (HEART) Act of 2026. The HEART Act will create the Office of Immigrant Community Mental Health and Resilience within the Department of Health and Human Services. The Office's purpose will be to provide mental health services to communities that are impacted by federal law enforcement immigration actions. The Office will be funded by redirecting the $76 billion Republicans provided to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through H.R. 1, the Big Ugly Law.

"ICE's actions will have lasting consequences on our community's wellbeing, which is why it is imperative that we advance and prioritize solutions that help students and their families recover long after ICE is gone," said Congresswoman Rivas. "School and community leaders from across the Valley have described to me the trauma that the ICE raids have had on students' mental health and wellbeing. This why I introduced the HEART Act - to provide much needed mentalhealth services to communities like mine that have been forced to bear the burden of this Administration's cruel actions. We must reclaim the Big Ugly Law's funding and repurpose it so our communities can heal."

"For too many immigrant families, immigration enforcement doesn't end when an arrest or raid is over-the trauma lingers in our homes, schools, workplaces, and communities," said Angelica Salas, Executive Director, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA). "Establishing the Office of Immigrant Community Mental Health and Resilience recognizes that healing is a public responsibility. By investing in trauma-informed care, culturally competent services, and community-led solutions, we can help families recover, build resilience, and ensure that fear and separation do not define the future of our communities."

"The National Latino Behavioral Health Association endorses the Healing and Equity for Enforcement-Affected Residents and Trauma Act of 2026, or the HEART Act of 2026," said Frederick Sandoval, CEO of the National Latino Behavioral Health Association. "The vision of establishing an Office of Immigrant Community Mental Health and Resilience, within the Office of the Secretary of DHHS is a remarkable policy goal that advances the wellbeing of our nation's most vulnerable populations of our democratic society. Health, safety and welfare are the cornerstones of our nation's history, and the HEART Act of 2026 will keep our Nation's health a priority."

"At a time when voters are outraged both at the unprecedented expansion of ICE's budget and also at the failure to address the cost of living, this bill to clawback these funds and direct them to efforts that will make life more affordable is a clear step in the right direction," said Todd Schulte, President of FWD.us. "We should be building a more humane and fair immigration system and be working to create legal pathways, not directing tens of billions more to ICE. We commend the Congresswoman for her leadership on this critical issue and thank her."

Background:

The Healing and Equity for Enforcement-Affected Residents and Trauma (HEART) Act of 2026 will repurpose $76 billion from H.R. 1, the One Big Ugly Law, to fund and create the Office of Immigrant Community Mental Health and Resilience within the Department of Health and Human Services.

The Office of Immigrant Community Mental Health and Resilience will have four key core functions:

• Direct care and service delivery to impacted communities such as establishing mobile mental health response teams and emergency counseling vouchers;
• Data reporting for local jurisdictions to report immigration actions;
• Workforce development for culturally competent care; and
• Community involvement to develop and implement educational mater