Ansari Introduces Legislation Establishing Clear 12-Hour Limit for ICE Detainee Stays in Temporary Holding Facilities

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Representative Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03) introduced the Short-Term Holding Facilities Standards Restoration Act, alongside Representative Greg Stanton (AZ-04) and Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07). The bill addresses overcrowding at temporary ICE holding facilities, such as Mesa Gateway Airport's Arizona Removal Operations Coordination Center (AROCC), and restores a clear 12-hour limit for detainee stays in ICE holding facilities. This follows the representatives' unannounced visit to the temporary holding facility at Mesa Gateway Airport on April 9, where they observed significant overcrowding, with rooms holding 40 to 50 people, despite a posted maximum capacity of 21, for much longer than 12 hours on average.

"What I've witnessed at the Mesa Gateway Airport short-term holding facility in Arizona is a display of disgusting cruelty. People are packed together like sardines in inhumane conditions and held far beyond the time these facilities are meant for," said Rep. Ansari. "Our legislation places a 12-hour limit on short-term detention and brings transparency and accountability to these shocking facilities directed by Donald Trump and Stephen Miller."

Following the unannounced visit, the members sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons demanding answers about conditions for detainees.

The bill restores the 12-hour limit, while allowing for limited exceptions in cases such as medical emergencies or transportation delays. In 2025, ICE issued a nationwide waiver allowing individuals to be held for up to 72 hours in these facilities, effectively tripling the permissible detention time. This bill addresses that concern. It also requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to document and justify any extended detention and to ensure humane conditions in holding facilities, thereby strengthening oversight by mandating recordkeeping, annual reporting to Congress, and periodic audits by the DHS Inspector General.

"It's clear that massive overcrowding and stays beyond the facility's intended short-term holding period are standard operating procedure under Trump's mass deportation agenda. This legislation brings these facilities back in line with their intended use," said Rep. Stanton.

"What we saw at AROCC wasn't just overcrowding - it was a failure of basic humanity. No one should be forced to sleep on concrete floors, or share a toilet in full view of dozens of others, in confined spaces never meant for prolonged detention. This bill restores commonsense limits, strengthens oversight, and makes clear that humane treatment is not optional - it's the law," said Rep. Grijalva.

Reports from the Arizona Mirror show that individuals held at the Arizona Removal Operations Coordination Center (AROCC) are staying for longer periods of time and in larger populations. The average length of stay in 2026 is approximately 36 hours, compared to the same time frame in 2025, when detainees were held for about 12 hours on average.

A one-pager available HERE.

Full bill text available HERE.

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