Bills · HR 7161
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House BillHR 7161Immigration
No Private Bounty Hunters for Immigration Enforcement Act
INTRO JAN 20· LAST ACTION JAN 20
READING
3MIN
COSPONSORS
4
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill matters because it addresses how the government uses private companies to carry out sensitive functions like locating individuals for immigration enforcement. If passed, it would remove the financial incentive for private entities to find people based on a "per-person" payment, which some view as problematic. It would also ensure that activities like surveillance and skip tracing for civil immigration purposes are handled by federal employees, increasing government accountability over these practices.
If this bill becomes law, it could change the landscape of civil immigration enforcement by emphasizing direct government responsibility over private contracting in these areas. If it doesn't pass, DHS would continue to have the option to contract out these specific activities, potentially including performance-based incentives for locating individuals, maintaining the current system of private involvement in these aspects of immigration enforcement.
KEY PROVISIONS
4AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Prohibits the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from signing new contracts with private entities for skip tracing, surveillance, or location verification in civil immigration enforcement.
This stops the growth of private sector involvement in sensitive tracking activities for immigration.
PROVISION 02
Requires DHS to end existing contracts or amend them to stop private entities from performing skip tracing, surveillance, or location verification in civil immigration enforcement.
This immediately changes current practices and reduces private involvement.
PROVISION 03
Prevents federal funds from being used to pay private entities on a per-person or bonus basis for locating individuals subject to civil immigration detainers.
This eliminates financial incentives that could be seen as encouraging aggressive tracking by private companies.
PROVISION 04
Mandates an audit by the DHS Inspector General within 30 days of enactment to ensure all contracts comply with these new limitations.
This ensures quick oversight and compliance with the bill's provisions if it becomes law.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 4
D· Illinois
YRS IN OFFICE
9
BILLS LED
42
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%
DEM 4 REP 0 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSJAN 20
Introduced in House
JAN 20
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Bill
NumberHR 7161
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedJan 20, 2026
Last actionJan 20, 2026
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · JUDICIARY COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED JAN 20, 2026
House BillHR 7161Immigration
No Private Bounty Hunters for Immigration Enforcement Act
INTRODUCED JAN 20, 2026· LAST ACTION JAN 20, 2026
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
3 min
COSPONSORS
4
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
