A new bill in Congress seeking to bar the Department of Homeland Security from using a full‑body restraint known as the WRAP has renewed local questions about federal detention and transport practices affecting Southwest Washington residents.

The “Full Body Restraint Prohibition Act,” introduced by U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez of Illinois, was announced following an investigative series by the Associated Press. According to reporting by MyNorthwest, Ramirez’s bill would prohibit future purchases of the WRAP, require additional oversight, and mandate new reporting standards for its use.

The Associated Press investigation identified multiple cases in which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement used the WRAP on people—sometimes for hours—during deportation flights dating back to 2020. The device, produced by California‑based Safe Restraints Inc., has also been cited in several federal lawsuits alleging that improper application can resemble punishment or torture. The AP reported that autopsies in at least a dozen cases involving local police and jail officials around the country listed “restraint” as a contributing factor in deaths.

In comments reported by MyNorthwest, Ramirez said the legislation is intended to address concerns raised by AP’s findings as well as additional reporting by Bloomberg Law on DHS’s procurement and deployment of the device.

Federal purchasing records reviewed by the Associated Press show DHS has paid Safe Restraints Inc. more than $268,000 for WRAP devices since 2015. Most of those expenditures occurred during the two Trump administrations. The company’s CEO, Charles Hammond, said in a statement reported by the AP that the WRAP was designed as a “safer” and “pain‑free” alternative to other restraints, while acknowledging that using the system on non‑violent individuals could constitute improper use.

The AP also referenced internal concerns from the DHS civil rights division, which issued a 2023 report noting that ICE continued to use the device despite reports of fatalities associated with local law‑enforcement deployments elsewhere in the United States. A group of 11 U.S. senators subsequently cited the AP’s findings in a letter to immigration officials raising human‑rights concerns about full‑body restraints onboard deportation flights.

While ICE does not operate detention facilities in Cowlitz County, federal transport and custody decisions can affect families and service providers throughout the region, particularly when residents are transferred between jurisdictions or detained during federal proceedings. Local attorneys and community organizations concerned with due‑process access, detainee rights, and custody transparency have followed federal restraint policies closely in recent years, as they determine how individuals experience transport, medical evaluation, and legal access.

DHS has not publicly addressed the legislation or the AP’s detailed questions on restraint use. The bill is now pending consideration in the U.S. House.

Why this matters

Federal restraint policies shape how individuals—including Southwest Washington residents subject to federal detention or transport—experience custody. Congressional action on the WRAP could influence national standards governing humane treatment, reporting requirements, and oversight across agencies, with local implications for accountability in any federal‑state interactions.

Sources

MyNorthwest: Citing AP investigation, new bill seeks to prohibit DHS from using full-body restraints

Associated Press: Federal investigation and reporting on WRAP device use

Bloomberg Law: Reporting on WRAP procurement and DHS policy