DHS Release Transparency Act

This Act may be cited as the “DHS Release Transparency Act”.

(a) Point of contact.— At the time at which an individual is taken into custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide the individual with the option to—

(1) designate a point of contact to receive updates with respect to that individual; and

(2) provide the name and contact information of such point of contact.

(b) Notification.—

(1) In general.— Prior to the release of any individual from the custody of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, other than those who have only been held at a port of entry for less than 12 hours, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall notify the point of contact designated under subsection (a), if a point of contact is so designated, of such release.

(2) Attempts to notify.— The Secretary of Homeland Security shall attempt to notify a designated point of contact at least twice.

(c) Translation and interpretation services.— The Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide translation and interpretation services to—

(1) the detainee, in such language as the detainee may choose, when requesting the optional designation of a point of contact under subsection (a); and

(2) if applicable, the point of contact, in such language as the point of contact may choose, when making the notification required under subsection (b).

(d) Limitation.— No information collected under this section may be used for enforcement purposes.