Worst of the Worst Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9361
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Immigration
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-18: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-10T08:06:23Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The legislation directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish and maintain a publicly accessible database containing information on certain criminal noncitizens released from custody. Its stated goal is to increase transparency regarding releases of individuals described under existing mandatory detention provisions.
Key Provisions
- Amends Section 236(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1226(c)) by adding a new paragraph (5).
- Requires creation of the database no later than 180 days after enactment.
- The database must include, for each qualifying individual:
- Photograph
- Name
- General physical description (height and weight)
- Jurisdiction of release
- Date of release
- Specific subparagraph of paragraph (1) under which the individual is described
- The database must be searchable by the released individual's name and by the jurisdiction of release.
- Responsibility is assigned to the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the Secretary of Homeland Security.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill adds a new public reporting requirement to the existing mandatory detention framework in 8 U.S.C. 1226(c). Prior law did not require creation or maintenance of any public database containing personal information on released individuals subject to detention.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Requires U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to develop, populate, and maintain an online searchable database, including ongoing updates for new releases.
- Citizens and public: Provides public access to identifying information on specific released individuals, potentially enabling greater community awareness or monitoring.
- International relations: No direct provisions affect foreign governments or treaties.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (implementation and maintenance).
- Noncitizens subject to mandatory detention under 8 U.S.C. 1226(c)(1) who are released.
- State and local jurisdictions where releases occur.
- Members of the public seeking information on released individuals.
- Congress (oversight of the new reporting system).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The measure expands public disclosure requirements for immigration enforcement data without altering the underlying detention criteria. It raises potential issues regarding privacy of personal information for noncitizens, though the bill contains no provisions addressing data protection, accuracy, or removal from the database. No constitutional analysis or limitations are included in the text.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (2)
Rep. Finstad, Brad [R-MN-1], Rep. Jackson, Ronny [R-TX-13]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-18: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2026-06-18: Introduced in House
- 2026-06-18: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Worst of the Worst Act — issued 2026-06-18 — PDF (3 pages)