A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
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 KIDS Act aims to restrict the Department of Homeland Security from detaining children, individuals with cognitive disabilities, and their primary caregivers. It also prohibits immigration enforcement actions within 1,000 feet of various sensitive locations, such as schools, medical facilities, and places of worship. These restrictions do not apply if the enforcement action is based on a criminal arrest or search warrant issued by a court. If a child or individual with a cognitive disability is detained, the Department must notify a parent or legal guardian and report the incident to Congress. The bill also establishes specific release priorities and legal remedies for violations of the sensitive location restrictions.
Yes· 3 of 11
- Scored +6
Would children be better off under this?
The bill limits the detention of children and requires parental notification and specific release priorities.
- Scored +5
Would immigrants be better off under this?
The bill restricts enforcement actions at sensitive locations and provides legal remedies for wrongful detentions.
- Scored +5
Would people with disabilities be better off under this?
The bill provides specific protections against the detention of individuals with cognitive disabilities.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Does this tighten control of the border?
The bill limits the Department of Homeland Security's ability to conduct enforcement actions and detentions.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Protection for Vulnerable Populations: The bill limits the detention of children and people with cognitive disabilities, which may provide greater stability for these individuals (Section 3(a)).
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Preservation of Family Units: There is a presumption that primary caregivers cannot be detained unless the Department proves release is unreasonable or impracticable, which helps keep families together (Section 3(c)).
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Safety Near Sensitive Areas: By prohibiting enforcement actions within 1,000 feet of locations like schools, hospitals, and houses of worship, the bill creates a buffer zone around these community spaces (Section 4(a)).
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Clear Release Procedures: If a detention occurs improperly, the bill requires the Department to prioritize releasing the individual to a parent, legal guardian, or designated caregiver (Section 3(d)(1)).
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Legal Accountability: If the Department conducts enforcement at a sensitive location, the bill prevents any information gathered from being used in removal proceedings and allows individuals to file motions to terminate proceedings (Section 6).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Exceptions for Criminal Activity: The protections against detention and enforcement actions do not apply if there is a criminal arrest warrant or a criminal search warrant issued by a court (Section 5).
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 children be better off under this? — The bill limits the detention of children and requires parental notification and specific release priorities. Would immigrants be better off under this? — The bill restricts enforcement actions at sensitive locations and provides legal remedies for wrongful detentions. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill provides specific protections against the detention of individuals with cognitive disabilities. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill protects access to public assistance offices and food banks from enforcement actions.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — The bill prohibits the detention of individuals with cognitive disabilities except under specific criminal warrant exceptions. Does this make child care cost less? — The bill protects child care facilities from being sites of immigration enforcement actions. Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens? — The bill provides legal remedies and prevents information from being used in removal proceedings if sensitive location rules are violated. Does this protect the right to vote? — The bill protects polling places by prohibiting enforcement actions within 1,000 feet of them. Does this tighten control of the border? — The bill limits the Department of Homeland Security's ability to conduct enforcement actions and detentions.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires the Department to report all permitted detentions of children or disabled individuals to Congress within 24 hours.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill creates buffer zones around medical facilities to protect individuals seeking care.
- Education And Technology
- Does this make it easier to use public money at a school other than the local one? — The bill protects schools and educational activities by prohibiting enforcement actions near them.
- 5/20/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Introduced in Senate
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.