Rep. Pettersen Introduces Bill to End Long-Term Detention at Temporary ICE Holding Cells

WASHINGTON - Today, after Republicans advanced their budget reconciliation legislation to pour $70 billion into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) - alongside Representatives Diana DeGette (CO-01), Joe Neguse (CO-02), and Jason Crow (CO-06) - introduced a bill to prohibit ICE from holding individuals for extended periods in temporary holding cells that are not intended for long-term detention.

Pettersen's legislation comes in response to alarming reports that ICE has detained individuals ranging in age from just one year old to 91 years old in small holding rooms meant for temporary processing, sometimes for days at a time. These facilities are designed to hold individuals for only a few hours and often lack beds, showers, and other basic accommodations. In response, Pettersen led Colorado Democrats in demanding answers from Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons and later conducted a routine oversight visit to the Fremont County facility to examine conditions firsthand.

"Republicans just voted to hand ICE and CBP an additional $70 billion, yet they still refuse to guarantee even the most basic standards of humane treatment for the people in their custody," said Pettersen. "No child, senior, or anyone else should be forced to spend days in a cramped holding cell that was designed for only a few hours of temporary processing. Trump's anti-immigrant agenda is antithetical to the promise of this country and our values as Americans. If we fail to uphold basic dignity and decency, then we have lost ourselves as a country."

"Donald Trump's cruel immigration agenda has led to communities in Denver and across our country being terrorized by masked agents. They have kidnapped people off the street and detained them in facilities that are meant to be temporary," said DeGette. "These prolonged detentions are traumatizing and must end immediately. I am proud to work with my colleagues to demand accountability from ICE, protect immigrant communities, and restore dignity and justice to our immigration system."

"The Trump administration's cruel and unconscionable immigration policies are taking a devastating toll on communities across our state," said Neguse. "I'm proud to join Rep. Pettersen and my fellow Coloradans in introducing legislation to hold ICE accountable and put an end to inhumane detention practices, including forcing individuals to spend days in overcrowded holding cells intended only for short-term processing. Every person deserves to be treated with dignity, respect, and basic humanity."

"Last year was the deadliest year in decades for people in ICE custody. Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress continue to hand ICE billions of taxpayer dollars with no guardrails or reforms," said Crow. "Congress must do everything in its power to rein in this rogue agency and uphold our values."

Full text of the legislation can be found HERE.

Pettersen has consistently voted against Donald Trump's anti-immigrant agenda, including opposing their budget reconciliation legislation that pours $70 billion into ICE and CBP over the next three years. Pettersen also voted against over $45 billion in funding for immigration enforcement in the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act."

During her time in Congress, Pettersen has advocated for legislation to require DHS and ICE officers to clearly identify themselves during enforcement actions, legislation that would reinstate protections that bar ICE from conducting immigration enforcement in sensitive locations, including churches, schools, hospitals, and non-immigration courts, and has demanded accountability from DHS.