S.Amdt. 5530

The amendment, also known as the Training, Responsibility, Uniforms, and Standards for Transparency Act (or TRUST Act), aims to add a new title to the bill focused on the hiring, screening, and conduct standards for immigration enforcement officers and agents.

The purpose of this amendment is to change and add the following:

Hiring and Screening

• Establishes minimum eligibility for new hires, including age (20 at application, 21 by training), a high school diploma, and legal authorization to work in the U.S.
• Requires comprehensive background checks covering criminal history, prior military or law enforcement records, violent conduct, drug use, affiliations with extremist or hate groups, social media activity for bias, and psychological assessments.

Uniforms and Identification

• Sets strict rules for uniforms, requiring them to be clean, professional, and worn only during official duties.
• Prohibits the consumption of alcohol while in uniform.
• Requires officers to carry official ID cards and visibly display their last name, agency, and face while performing enforcement functions (with specific exceptions for undercover or tactical assignments).
• Mandates the issuance of serially numbered badges and sets criminal penalties for anyone unauthorized to wear them.

Body-Worn Cameras

• Requires officers interacting with the public to be equipped with and activate body-worn cameras during enforcement actions and public interactions.
• Establishes rules for notifying the public when they are being recorded and allows for deactivation upon request of victims or anonymous sources in specific scenarios.
• Creates penalties for failing to activate cameras or tampering with footage, including potential termination or revocation of certification.
• Sets timelines for the public release of footage following allegations of misconduct (21 days) or incidents involving death or serious injury (5 days).

Specialized Training

• Mandates additional training for all officers before they conduct operations. Training must cover:
  • Preventing wrongful detention of U.S. citizens and lawful residents.
  • De-escalation and safe civilian engagement.
  • Language access and interpretation.
  • Recognizing medical distress and mental health conditions.
  • Constitutional protections and civil rights laws.
  • Preventing discriminatory enforcement and profiling.