WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal and Adam Smith of Washington state have reintroduced the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act, a sweeping proposal aimed at overhauling the nation’s immigration detention system. The lawmakers say the bill is urgently needed as the Trump administration accelerates detention and deportation efforts, pushing facilities far past their limits and harming vulnerable people.
Jayapal and Smith unveiled the bill outside the U.S. Capitol alongside Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Jayapal said the sharp rise in detention under President Donald Trump has created dangerous and abusive conditions. She said many detained immigrants have no criminal convictions and are held in for-profit facilities that profit from their continued detention.
Jayapal said people are being locked up in “increasingly horrifying conditions” as private prison companies benefit financially. She argued that the administration has made it harder for people to stay in the country legally and has blocked routine oversight from members of Congress. Smith echoed those concerns. He said many people in detention face overcrowded cells, poor food, and little or no medical care. He said no one should be held in facilities that “profit off of human suffering.”
More than 66,000 people are currently held in immigration detention, according to Jayapal’s office. Nearly three out of four have no criminal convictions or only minor offenses such as traffic violations. Since Trump returned to office, 23 people have died in ICE custody. Advocates say many of those deaths could have been prevented with adequate medical care and regular monitoring.
Reports from several facilities describe unsanitary conditions, spoiled food, and serious lapses in health care. Lawyers and rights groups also report cases of detainees kept in isolation, denied medication, or prevented from contacting family members.
The Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act aims to bring new safeguards to the system. It would end mandatory detention and create a presumption of release for most immigrants. The bill would make it harder for ICE to detain especially vulnerable people, such as pregnant women, asylum seekers, seniors, LGBTQ individuals, and people with serious medical conditions.
The legislation would also ban family detention and require the Department of Homeland Security to set strict civil detention standards. It would phase out private immigration detention centers and local jails over three years. The measure gives the DHS Inspector General the power to conduct unannounced inspections, with penalties for violations. Members of Congress would also gain unannounced access to facilities.
Khalil, who spoke at the announcement, described what he called “dehumanizing” experiences inside detention. He said many people broke down in their cells, unsure why they were being held or labeled as criminals. He accused ICE of acting as a political tool for the administration rather than as a federal agency. He said detention had become “a tool for punishment” and a method to intimidate immigrant communities.
Versions of the bill have been introduced several times, including in 2017, 2019, and again in 2023 with support from Sen. Cory Booker. None passed a divided Congress. The current proposal has 123 Democratic co-sponsors but faces long odds with Republicans in control of the House.
Immigrant rights groups say the new push comes at a critical moment. Jennifer Ibañez Whitlock of the National Immigration Law Center said detention harms families and communities every day. She urged lawmakers to act quickly. Jayapal, who came to the U.S. alone at age 16, said the issue is deeply personal. She said her own experience as an immigrant drives her commitment to protecting civil rights. She said she will do everything she can to move the bill forward.
Jayapal has also launched “Resistance Labs,” an organizing effort aimed at responding to what she views as democratic backsliding and authoritarian threats under the Trump administration. As the national debate over immigration intensifies, the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act sets the stage for another major political fight on Capitol Hill. The lawmakers behind it say the goal is simple: treat people with dignity and ensure the government protects basic human rights.
