Ending Qualified Immunity for ICE Agents Act

This bill, the Ending Qualified Immunity for ICE Agents Act, would expressly remove the qualified immunity defense for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in civil actions brought under 42 U.S.C. 1983 and in actions under any other federal law. Specifically, it would state that ICE agents cannot rely on good-faith beliefs, belief that their conduct was lawful, or uncertainty about whether their rights were clearly established at the time of the conduct as defenses to liability. In effect, ICE agents would face civil liability for constitutional rights violations without the current shield provided by qualified immunity. In practical terms, the bill aims to increase accountability by allowing more civil lawsuits against ICE agents for alleged constitutional violations, regardless of whether the agents believed they were acting lawfully or whether the rights in question were clearly established at the time of the actions.