QR Act

Quick Summary

• Bill: H.R. 7233 (QR Act) | 119th Congress, 2nd Session
• Introduced: January 22, 2026 by Reps. Torres, Soto, and Thanedar
• Purpose: Require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers engaged in law enforcement or immigration enforcement activities to wear a clearly visible, scannable QR code on their uniforms. The QR code links to an official DHS page with officer identification and related information.

Objective and Rationale

• Improve identification, accountability, and transparency of federal immigration enforcement officers during field activities.
• Provide a standardized, scannable means for the public to verify officer identity and status and to submit complaints regarding officer conduct.

Key Provisions

• Identification and Verification Requirement (Section 287 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, amended)
  • Timeline: Enactment triggers the requirement no later than 180 days after enactment.
  • Scope: Applies to ICE and CBP officers and employees who are engaged in law enforcement or immigration enforcement activities.
  • QR Code on Uniform:
  • Must be clearly visible and unobscured.
  • When scanned, must link to an official publicly available DHS website.
  • DHS Website Content (upon scanning):
  • Full name of the officer/employee.
  • Badge number.
  • Agency and operational unit or office.
  • Active status of the officer/employee, including a timestamp verification.
  • May display a photograph of the officer/employee.
  • May not display home address, phone number, or other personal contact information.
  • Must include a secure mechanism for submitting complaints regarding the officer’s conduct.
  • Must provide aggregated, non-personally identifiable data on the number of complaints received for each officer.
  • Rule of Construction: Nothing in this subsection supersedes or replaces other federal, state, or local laws or policies that promote transparency, accessibility, or accountability in law enforcement.

Who is Affected

• Primary: ICE and CBP officers and employees who are engaged in enforcement activities.
• Administrative/Policy Impact: DHS and its offices will be responsible for implementing the QR system, maintaining the linked public website, and handling complaint mechanisms.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

• Introduction: January 22, 2026
• Referral: Committee on the Judiciary and Committee on Homeland Security
• Timeline: Requirement to implement QR codes within 180 days of enactment
• Oversight: Provisions imply ongoing accessibility of the public-facing information and complaint data, subject to applicable privacy and security considerations.

Potential Impacts

• Public Transparency: Easier public verification of officer identity and status, potentially increasing trust and accountability.
• Accountability Mechanisms: Built-in complaint submission and public aggregation of complaint data for each officer.
• Privacy Considerations: Personal contact details are restricted; however, the collection and public display of identification data could raise privacy or safety concerns that may be addressed in implementing regulations.
• Operational Effects: Agencies would incur costs and logistical considerations to produce, attach, and maintain QR identifiers on uniforms and to host and maintain the linked DHS webpage with up-to-date information.

Notes

• The bill is relatively narrow in scope, focusing on identification and accountability tools for enforcement personnel.
• It does not propose changes to enforcement powers, procedures, or penalties beyond the identification and complaint mechanisms.
• As drafted, the bill would amend Section 287 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and create a publicly accessible verification framework.