Trust Through Transparency Act of 2025
The Trust Through Transparency Act of 2025 would require all immigration enforcement officers to wear and operate body cameras during public-facing enforcement actions. The bill adds a new provision to section 287 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, establishing when cameras must be used, how long video data must be kept (retention), and when footage may be extended or released. It also creates processes for enforcement of the requirement, annual reporting to Congress, public disclosure with limited redactions, and an independent advisory panel to guide policy on camera use and footage management. The overarching purpose is to increase transparency, accountability, and trust in immigration enforcement by publicly documenting interactions and providing oversight mechanisms. Under the measure, footage is initially kept for six months and then automatically deleted unless it matches specific circumstances (use of force, events surrounding an arrest, or a complaint). In certain cases, retention can be extended to at least three years if justified by evidentiary value, training needs, or privacy considerations for particular individuals or groups. The act also requires internal discipline for noncompliance, annual DHS-wide reporting to Congress and civil rights bodies, public posting of the report with some redactions for privacy or security reasons, and an independent advisory panel to offer non-binding recommendations on policy and footage management.
Key Points
- 1Mandatory body camera usage: All covered immigration officers must wear and operate body cameras during any public-facing immigration enforcement function (e.g., patrols, arrests, searches, warrants service).
- 2Retention and deletion rules: Default retention is six months. Footage is permanently deleted unless it involves use of force, an arrest, or a complaint. Extended retention (at least three years) is allowed if requested by the recording officer, the subject or their representative, a superior officer, for training purposes, or for public/guardian/next-of-kin considerations.
- 3Access and public reporting: DHS must annually report to Congress and key committees, detailing total public enforcement actions, noncompliance incidents, and disciplinary actions. The report must be made publicly available on DHS’s website with necessary redactions.
- 4Oversight and policy guidance: Establishment of an independent advisory panel with expertise in civil rights, privacy, technology, and law enforcement oversight to provide non-binding recommendations on camera use and footage management.
- 5Definitions and scope: Clear definitions of who counts as a “covered immigration officer,” what constitutes a “body worn camera,” and what operations qualify as a “public immigration enforcement function,” including exclusions for covert or non-enforcement activities.