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To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to return identification documents to individuals upon their release from custody, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to require the Department of Homeland Security to return identification documents and personal records to individuals upon their release from DHS custody. The bill defines covered documents to include passports, permanent resident cards, birth certificates, driver's licenses, social security cards, employment authorization documents, and similar government-issued documents. DHS may retain a document only if it is fraudulent, is contraband or evidence in a pending criminal proceeding, or if the individual is no longer legally entitled to possess it. If DHS retains a document, it must provide a written explanation and certified copy to the individual, and operational convenience or anticipated future enforcement actions cannot be grounds for retention.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Chellie Pingree’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- NULL $31,950
- HIGH TIDE FOUNDATION $6,600
- TISHMAN HOTEL & REALTY $6,600
- COOL EFFECT, INC. $6,600
- HONOR NYC $6,600
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Chellie Pingree → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Feb 25, 2026 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. · house
- Feb 25, 2026 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 25, 2026
Ms. Pingree introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to return identification documents to individuals upon their release from custody, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Protecting All Personal Effects and Records from Seizure Act of 2026” or the “PAPERS Act of 2026”.
SEC. 2. RETURN OF DOCUMENTS AFTER RELEASE FROM DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY CUSTODY.
(a) In General.—Chapter 4 of title II of the Immigration and Nationality Act is amended by inserting after section 236A the following:
“SEC. 236B. RETURN OF DOCUMENTS AFTER RELEASE FROM CUSTODY.
“(a) In General.—Except as provided in subsection (b), upon releasing any individual from custody under this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall return to such individual each covered document taken from the individual while in the custody of the Department of Homeland Security.
“(b) Exception.—The Secretary may retain a covered document only if—
“(1) the document is determined to be fraudulent;
“(2) the document is contraband or evidence in a pending criminal proceeding; or
“(3) the individual is no longer legally entitled to possess the document under Federal law.
“(c) Certified Copies.—If a covered document is retained pursuant to subsection (b), the Secretary shall provide the individual with a written explanation of the applicable exception and a certified copy of the document, unless prohibited by law.
“(d) Covered Document.—For purposes of this section, the term ‘covered document’ includes an original passport, permanent resident card, employment authorization document, birth certificate, driver’s license, social security card, and any other similar government-issued document.
“(e) No Operational Exception.—Operational convenience or an anticipated future immigration enforcement action does not constitute grounds to retain a document after releasing an individual from custody under this Act.”.
(b) Clerical Amendment.—The table of contents of the Immigration and Nationality Act is amended by inserting after the item related to section 236A the following:
“236B. Return of documents after release from custody.”. <all>
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