This week, the Council adopted a resolution offered by Councilors Culpepper, Mejia, and Worrell centered on the "DHS Use of Force Transparency Act," co-sponsored by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and Congressman Dave Min.

The measure outlines how the act would require the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to turn over materials to Congress in cases involving use of force, including shootings and deaths in custody. Among the materials: body camera footage, audio recordings, written reports, internal communications, and disciplinary records, disclosed in an unredacted form to the maximum extent permitted by law.

The legislation would apply to incidents occurring after January 20, 2025, including actions taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.

The resolution also points to reports and advocacy organizations that have documented allegations of excessive force by federal immigration authorities, including incidents resulting in injury or death of both immigrants and United States citizens. It further notes that at least twenty-one individuals have died in ICE custody since October 2025, according to the American Immigration Lawyers Association, raising concerns about oversight, accountability, and the protection of human rights.

Recent incidents, including use of excessive force and deaths in custody involving residents from communities such as Dorchester, are cited as underscoring the need for transparency and independent oversight of federal immigration enforcement practices.

In backing the measure, the Council emphasizes that timely and full disclosure of use-of-force incidents is essential to maintaining public trust, safeguarding civil liberties, and holding federal agencies accountable, and urges the United States Congress to pass the legislation while calling on federal authorities to prioritize transparency, accountability, and the protection of civil and human rights.