A groundbreaking legislative initiative has emerged in the U.S. House of Representatives seeking to prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from utilizing the controversial WRAP restraint system. The Full-Body Restraint Prohibition Act, introduced by Illinois Democratic Representative Delia Ramirez on Wednesday, would permanently ban future acquisitions of the device while establishing stringent oversight and reporting protocols.
The legislative action follows an extensive Associated Press investigation that documented multiple instances of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deploying the WRAP apparatus during deportation flights since 2020. According to the findings, individuals were frequently restrained in the device for extended periods, sometimes spanning several hours.
Representative Ramirez condemned the practice, stating that the WRAP “fuels destruction in our communities and human suffering” and characterizing the legislation as a critical step toward ending “the pain and violence caused by DHS.”
The California-manufactured device, produced by Safe Restraints Inc., has become the subject of numerous federal lawsuits alleging that improper application constitutes punishment and torture. Advocacy groups have raised alarms about ICE’s failure to document WRAP usage in accordance with federal force reporting requirements, creating significant transparency gaps regarding the true scope of implementation.
Beyond immigration enforcement contexts, the AP investigation identified twelve fatal incidents over the past decade where autopsies determined WRAP usage by local law enforcement agencies contributed to prisoner deaths. This pattern has drawn concern from DHS’s own civil rights division, which voiced internal reservations about the device in a 2023 report.
Financial records reveal DHS has allocated $268,523 to Safe Restraints Inc. since initial purchases began during the Obama administration in late 2015, with contracts extending through June 2025. Notably, approximately 91% of this expenditure occurred during the two Trump administrations.
Safe Restraints CEO Charles Hammond defended the product as a “safer, more humane, pain-free alternative to other restraint methods,” warning that elimination would force a return to “alternative restraints and tactics proven to cause pain, injury and even fatalities.” The company developed a modified version specifically for ICE with adaptations for prolonged use during flights and extended transportation.
However, the AP investigation found ICE personnel routinely deploy the WRAP under circumstances far exceeding manufacturer guidelines. Multiple detainees reported being restrained in the device after already being shackled, often as intimidation or punishment for requesting legal counsel or expressing deportation fears.
The mounting evidence has prompted significant political response, with eleven Democratic U.S. senators dispatching a formal letter to immigration officials citing “serious human rights concerns” following the AP’s October investigation. DHS has declined repeated requests for comment regarding WRAP usage practices and the newly proposed legislation.
