The Short-Term Detention Standards Act will require that migrants in short-term custody receive basic necessities.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (MI-08) introduced today the Short-Term Detention Standards Act, a bipartisan bill that would require the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide a range of basic necessities to migrants being held in short-term detention. The legislation also ensures appropriate access to Customs and Border Patrol Facilities for Members of Congress.
Slotkin's bill today follows her introduction of the bipartisan INTEL At Our Borders Act, which strengthens U.S. border security, last week. U.S. Reps. Fitzpatrick (PA-01) and Bennie Thompson (MS-02) are original co-sponsors of the bill. Slotkin also led the bill in the 116th Congress, and it passed the House with bipartisan support.
"Securing our border and upholding American values aren't mutually exclusive, which is why I'm introducing the bipartisan Short-Term Detention Standards Act, a bill to ensure that basic necessities are provided to migrants in detention, particularly children," said Slotkin. "This bipartisan bill is taken directly from the standards of care that the U.S. military is trained to provide, such as adequate nutrition, hygiene and bathroom facilities to those in our care. As a member of the Homeland Security Committee, where immigration is a major topic, I will continue to fight for critical oversight of the Department of Homeland Security.
"Poor conditions, lack of access to hygiene products, and extreme overcrowding at our border detention facilities undermine the most basic values of America," said Fitzpatrick. "Providing migrants in short-term custody with adequate shelter, nutrition, and hygiene and sanitation necessities should be non-negotiable. This legislation passed the House with bipartisan support in the 116th Congress. Let's get this bill signed into law."
"Over the past few years, it has become evident that there need to be reforms in the way migrants are treated by DHS to ensure fair and humane treatment," said Thompson. "I am proud to cosponsor this bipartisan legislation, championed by Reps. Slotkin and Fitzpatrick, that seeks to improve the level of care provided to migrants while in DHS custody."
Slotkin, as a member of the Homeland Security Committee, has taken steps to exercise critical oversight over the Department of Homeland Security and the treatment of migrants in its care. She has spoken out against the prior Administration's inhumane treatment of migrants at the border, visited Northern border facilities in Michigan to speak directly with Customs and Border Protection officers, and visited the Southern border as part of a bipartisan group of members in 2019.
The Short-Term Detention Standards Act
Current law requires that DHS provide migrants with only access to food and water. This bill amends existing legislation and expands this requirement to include:
- Appropriate temporary shelter
- Access to bathroom and shower facilities
- Water and appropriate nutrition
- Hygiene, personal grooming, and sanitation items
Original source can be found here.
