A Democratic bill with 25 Democratic cosponsors · See all 25 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Trust Through Transparency Act of 2025 seeks to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act. It requires all covered immigration officers to wear and operate a body camera during public-facing immigration enforcement actions. The bill establishes rules for how video footage is retained and when it must be permanently deleted. It also creates provisions for extended footage retention under specific circumstances. Additionally, the Act mandates administrative discipline for officers who fail to comply with these requirements. Finally, it requires annual reporting to Congress and the establishment of an independent advisory panel.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +7
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The act mandates annual public reporting on enforcement functions and disciplinary actions to increase oversight.
- Scored +6
Does this change how police departments operate?
The bill requires body cameras for immigration enforcement officers and establishes internal disciplinary actions for noncompliance.
- Scored +5
Would immigrants be better off under this?
The bill allows individuals subject to footage to request extended retention, providing a safeguard against the loss of evidence.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Does this protect people from being watched or searched?
The collection of video footage of public interactions may impact the privacy of individuals encountered by officers.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Transparency and Accountability: The bill requires officers to wear body cameras during public-facing functions to promote transparency (Section 2).
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Protection of Evidence for Specific Incidents: Video footage will be kept longer than six months if it captures use of force, arrests for crimes, or instances where a subject has filed a complaint (Section 2, paragraph (i)(2)).
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Extended Retention for Individuals Involved: People can request that footage be kept for at least three years if they are the subject of the video, such as a member of the public, a parent or legal guardian of a minor, or a deceased subject's next of kin (Section 2, paragraph (i)(3)).
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Officer Protections: Immigration officers can request extended retention of footage if they believe it has evidentiary or exculpatory value (Section 2, paragraph (i)(3)(A)).
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Oversight through Expert Advice: The Secretary of Homeland Security must establish an independent advisory panel featuring experts in civil rights, privacy, technology, and law enforcement oversight (Section 3(d)).
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Public Awareness of Compliance: An annual report detailing the number of enforcement functions, instances of noncompliance, and disciplinary actions must be made available to the public (Section 3(b) and (c)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Loss of Footage: Video footage is subject to permanent deletion after six months unless specific criteria for extended retention are met (Section 2, paragraph (i)(2)).
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Limited Privacy for Undercover Operations: The definition of a body-worn camera specifically excludes devices worn during undercover assignments (Section 2, paragraph (i)(4)(B)).
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Information Redaction: The Inspector General may redact information from the annual public report to protect sensitive operations, investigations, or privacy (Section 3(c)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would immigrants be better off under this? — The bill allows individuals subject to footage to request extended retention, providing a safeguard against the loss of evidence. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The requirement for body cameras provides a mechanism for accountability during immigration enforcement interactions. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Increased transparency in immigration enforcement can provide greater protection for vulnerable low-income populations.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this change how police departments operate? — The bill requires body cameras for immigration enforcement officers and establishes internal disciplinary actions for noncompliance. Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The mandate for body cameras during public-facing enforcement functions increases transparency in interactions that disproportionately affect minority communities. Does this tighten control of the border? — The requirement for body cameras adds a layer of documentation to the enforcement of immigration laws.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The act mandates annual public reporting on enforcement functions and disciplinary actions to increase oversight. Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — The collection of video footage of public interactions may impact the privacy of individuals encountered by officers.
- Education And Technology
- Does this give people more control over their personal data? — The bill includes specific rules for the retention and permanent deletion of video footage to manage data lifecycle.
- 7/13/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/5/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/2/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/9/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/4/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/3/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/2/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 1/27/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 1/21/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 1/14/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 1/13/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/9/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/8/2026
- 9 Cosponsors added.
- 10/1/2025
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement.
- 9/30/2025
- Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Joyce BeattyDemocrat · Ohio
Sean CastenDemocrat · Illinois
Danny DavisDemocrat · Illinois
Lloyd DoggettDemocrat · Texas
Christopher DeluzioDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Madeleine DeanDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Sarah ElfrethDemocrat · Maryland
Valerie FousheeDemocrat · North Carolina
Al GreenDemocrat · Texas
Steven HorsfordDemocrat · Nevada
William KeatingDemocrat · Massachusetts
Ted LieuDemocrat · California
George LatimerDemocrat · New York
Seth MoultonDemocrat · Massachusetts
April McClain DelaneyDemocrat · Maryland
Eleanor NortonDemocrat · District of Columbia
Johnny OlszewskiDemocrat · Maryland
Chellie PingreeDemocrat · Maine
Mark PocanDemocrat · Wisconsin
Brittany PettersenDemocrat · Colorado
Kim SchrierDemocrat · Washington
Emilia SykesDemocrat · Ohio
Dina TitusDemocrat · Nevada
Derek TranDemocrat · California
Eugene VindmanDemocrat · Virginia