Immigration Enforcement Staff Body Camera Accountability Act

Accountability for Officials: The bill requires all immigration enforcement staff to wear body cameras that must remain on for the entire shift, ensuring constant recording during official operations (Section 2(a), 2(c)).

Access to Evidence: Footage collected by body cameras can be made available to parties involved in administrative proceedings, civil actions, or criminal prosecutions (Section 2(d)).

Protection of Rights: The Secretary of Homeland Security must conduct rulemaking that is consistent with specific civil rights principles and includes comparisons with model acts regarding wearable cameras (Section 2(e)).

Privacy Oversight: The Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security is tasked with conducting an annual privacy impact assessment regarding how footage is collected, maintained, stored, and shared (Section 2(g)).

Transparency in Technology: Policies must be established regarding the use of artificial intelligence and facial recognition, including an acknowledgment of the limitations and inaccuracies of those technologies (Section 2(b)).

Penalties for Staff: Immigration enforcement staff may face furlough, reduction in pay or grade, or a suspension of up to 30 days if they violate the requirement to keep their cameras on (Section 2(f)).

Burden of Proof for Malfunctions: If a camera fails to record, the Secretary of Homeland Security may not accept a malfunction claim unless the staff member provides sufficient evidence to prove it occurred (Section 2(f)).

Lack of New Funding: The bill explicitly states that no additional funding is authorized to carry out these requirements, meaning the program must be funded using existing amounts (Section 2(h)).