Immigration detainees could spend only 12 hours in ICE holding rooms

In Washington, a federal proposal would put a hard stop on how long someone can stay in a temporary U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, holding room. The Oversight of Temporary ICE Holding Cells Act says the Department of Homeland Security could not detain an individual in one of those rooms for more than 12 hours.

The bill is aimed at a holding space, not a full detention facility. These rooms are described as secure areas used for temporary confinement before intake processing, institutional appointments, release, transfer to another facility, or removal-related transportation.

Who would be covered

The proposal would apply to people held in these temporary rooms while they wait for the next step in the process. That can include a move to court or medical appointments, a release, a transfer, or transportation tied to removal.

By drawing that line, the bill tries to limit long stays in places that are supposed to be brief. It does not change immigration detention across the board. It narrows the rules for one stage of custody that can happen before someone reaches a longer-term facility or leaves government custody.

A narrower change than a broader detention overhaul

The measure was introduced by Colorado Democrats in the House, including Rep. Brittany Pettersen, with Joe Neguse, Jason Crow, and Diana DeGette as cosponsors. Their proposal centers on the time someone can spend in a temporary ICE holding room, not on the rest of the immigration enforcement system.

For people caught in that short handoff period, the bill would matter because it would set a clear limit where the current draft says there is none. For Homeland Security, it would require faster movement out of these temporary spaces and into the next step.