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Private Detention Corporate Accountability Act of 2026
To create a private right of action to hold private detention centers liable for the wrongful death of any person being held in such private detention center, and for other purposes.
Summary
- Creates a private right of action for wrongful death of persons held in private detention centers, allowing decedents or their successors to recover damages in federal or state court.
- Establishes statutory damages of at least $5,000,000 plus economic and punitive damages for wrongful deaths caused by private detention center officers or employees.
- Makes private detention centers vicariously liable for wrongful deaths caused by their officers or employees.
- Eliminates absolute and qualified immunity defenses for detention center officers and employees in wrongful death actions.
- Applies to private entities that have contracts with the federal government to hold persons detained under civil, criminal, or immigration laws.
- Defines private detention centers as private entities contracted by the federal government to hold individuals detained for alleged violations of civil, criminal, or immigration laws.
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)
- Rep. Tran, Derek [D-CA-45] (D-CA)
3 cosponsors
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Derek Tran’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- PANISH, SHEA, BOYLE, ET AL. $16,200
- GOOGLE LLC $16,138
- SINGLETON SCHREIBER $13,200
- ALTAIR LAW $13,200
- MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL $12,600
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Derek Tran → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Jul 22, 2026 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. · house
- Jul 22, 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.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 22, 2026
Mr. Tran (for himself, Mr. Moulton, Mrs. Watson Coleman, and Mr. Thanedar) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To create a private right of action to hold private detention centers liable for the wrongful death of any person being held in such private detention center, 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 “Private Detention Corporate Accountability Act of 2026”.
SEC. 2. PRIVATE DETENTION CENTER LIABILITY.
(a) Private Right of Action.—An officer or employee of a private detention center that causes the wrongful death of any person that was being held in such private detention center shall be liable, under the relevant State law, to the decedent or any successor in interest for—
(1) statutory damages in an amount not less than $5,000,000 and economic damages; and
(2) punitive damages, as appropriate.
(b) Action in District Court.—The decedent or any successor in interest that suffered the harm described under subsection (a) may bring an action in the appropriate district court of the United States for the relief described under such subsection.
(c) Vicarious Liability.—A private detention center shall be vicariously liable for any harm described under subsection (a).
(d) No Immunity Defense.—No officer or employee of a private detention center shall be entitled to assert any form of absolute or qualified immunity as a defense to liability under this section.
(e) Rule of Construction.—Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the ability of the decedent or any successor in interest that suffered the harm described under subsection (a) from bringing an action in a State court for such harm.
(f) Private Detention Center.—The term “private detention center” means a private entity that has a contract with the Federal Government to hold any person due to any alleged or purported violations of civil, criminal, or immigration laws. <all>
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