A bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would require Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers engaged in law enforcement or immigration enforcement activities to wear a clearly visible and scannable QR code, according to the measure’s listing on Congress.gov.
The bill is designated H.R. 7233 in the 119th Congress and was introduced on January 22, 2026. Congress.gov lists Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15) as the sponsor and shows the proposal has been referred to the House Committees on the Judiciary and Homeland Security.
While the congressional record entry provides limited detail beyond the requirement for a visible, scannable QR code, the underlying concept would create a standardized, machine-readable identifier that could be presented during enforcement encounters. A QR code credential can link to an official verification page or other authoritative record, allowing a member of the public to confirm that an individual is an officer or employee and to view identifying information that is intended to be shared.
GovTrack, which tracks congressional legislation and status updates, mirrors the bill’s status as Introduced. As of late January 2026, GovTrack indicated there was no enacted text or official summary posted on the bill’s record.
Digital identity mechanisms are increasingly used in government and commercial settings for authentication and verification, including scannable codes and mobile credentials such as mobile digital ID systems used for age verification and QR-code-based verification models. In a law enforcement context, scannable identifiers can be used to reduce confusion during interactions and provide a consistent way to authenticate officials, but the specific operating model depends on what information is encoded or referenced, how validation is performed, and what safeguards exist against spoofed or copied codes.
The bill record does not include additional implementation details such as the format of the QR code, the information that would be made available when scanned, or how agencies would handle exceptional circumstances and operational security. Those details are typically defined in statutory text or in agency policy if a measure is enacted.
With the bill currently in the Introduced stage, the next steps would typically involve committee consideration and any revisions before possible House action. Congress.gov and GovTrack entries provide a public record of those status changes as the legislation moves through the process.
Sources: Congress.gov, GovTrack
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
