Protecting Sensitive Locations Act
Protecting Sensitive Locations Act
Plain Language Summary
# Protecting Sensitive Locations Act Summary **What it would do:** This bill would create a 1,000-foot "safe zone" around certain sensitive locations where immigration enforcement actions (like arrests or detentions) would be prohibited. The ban would apply to federal immigration officers and state employees conducting immigration enforcement, with limited exceptions only for emergencies involving immediate risk of death or serious injury. If enforcement occurs illegally within these zones, any evidence gathered could not be used in deportation proceedings. **Who it affects and key provisions:** The protected locations include schools, hospitals, religious buildings, courthouses, child care facilities, domestic violence shelters, polling places, and disaster relief centers.
This would protect immigrants seeking medical care, education, legal help, or services at these facilities from the threat of enforcement action. The bill aims to ensure people can access essential services without fear of deportation. **Current status:** The bill (S 455) was introduced in the 119th Congress by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been voted on by the full Senate. This is an early stage in the legislative process, and the bill would need committee approval and broader Congressional support to advance further.
CRS Official Summary
Protecting Sensitive Locations ActThis bill prohibits immigration enforcement actions within 1,000 feet of a sensitive location except in exigent circumstances, such as the imminent risk of death, violence, or physical harm to any person.Sensitive locations include health care facilities;schools and school bus stops;places that provide assistance for people such as children, pregnant women, and abuse victims;child care facilities;places that provide disaster or emergency services;places of worship;courthouses and lawyers’ offices;facilities used as polling places;certain labor union facilities; andpublic assistance offices.The prohibition shall apply to Department of Homeland Security officers and agents, as well as state employees pursuing immigration enforcement actions.If an enforcement action is carried out in violation of this prohibition (1) no information resulting from the action may be entered into the record in a resulting removal proceeding, and (2) the affected individual may move to immediately terminate such a proceeding.U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall annually report to Congress about enforcement actions taken at sensitive locations in the preceding year.
Latest Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.