S.Amdt. 5704

The amendment, titled the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act, aims to restrict immigration enforcement actions by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its agents near specific "sensitive locations."

The purpose of this addition to the bill is to ensure individuals have access to these locations by generally prohibiting enforcement actions within 1,000 feet of them, except in "exigent circumstances."

Key changes and additions include:

• Restrictions on Enforcement: Agents may not conduct enforcement actions (such as arrests, interviews, or searches) within 1,000 feet of sensitive locations. If an agent is unsure if exigent circumstances exist, they must stop the action and consult a supervisor in real time.
• Exemptions: The restrictions do not apply to transporting apprehended individuals to medical care or rare, pre-approved operations targeting terrorist suspects or those posing an extraordinary danger to public safety.
• Accountability and Penalties: If the rules are violated, information gained from the action cannot be used as evidence in removal proceedings, and the affected individual may file to terminate those proceedings.
• Reporting and Training: It requires annual training for specific DHS officials and mandates detailed reports to the DHS Office of the Inspector General, the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, and appropriate congressional committees regarding enforcement actions at these sites.
• Definition of Sensitive Locations: The act lists numerous protected areas, including:
  • Medical and mental healthcare facilities.
  • Schools, childcare centers, and libraries.
  • Places of worship and religious ceremonies.
  • Courthouses, Social Security offices, and polling places.
  • Domestic violence shelters and food banks.
  • Public demonstrations and disaster relief sites.