H.R. 2471: Terrorist Release Announcements to Counter Extremist Recidivism Act

H.R. 2471 would direct the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Attorney General, to share with State, local, and regional fusion centers, as well as other appropriate law enforcement, information of certain individuals convicted of a Federal crime of terrorism.

Specifically, the bill would direct the Secretary to share information from a Federal correctional facility, including name, charging date, and expected place and date of release, of individuals who may pose a terrorist threat because they have been convicted of a Federal crime of terrorism.

Additionally, the Secretary would also be directed to provide State, local, and regional fusion centers with periodic assessments regarding the overall threat from individuals who are known or suspected terrorists currently incarcerated in Federal facilities including the risks of such populations engaging in terrorist activities upon release.

Currently, information on federal prisoners convicted of terrorist charges that are released from prison is rarely shared with local agencies, leaving law enforcement and fusion centers without information to monitor potential security risks in their communities.

The Bureau of Prisons estimated, between 2015 and 2020, 112 inmates with convictions relating to international terrorism will be released, with an additional 100 released between 2021 and 2030. This bill would require information on these individuals be shared with local authorities in order to help protect their communities.

Similar language to this bill was included in H.R. 2825, which passed the House of Representatives on July 20, 2017 by a vote of 386-41.

The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress, and was published on Sep 12, 2017.

Terrorist Release Announcements to Counter Extremist Recidivism Act or the TRACER Act

(Sec. 2) This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in coordination with the Department of Justice, to share with state, local, and regional fusion centers through the DHS State, Local, and Regional Fusion Center Partnership Initiative, for homeland security purposes, as well as other relevant law enforcement entities, release information from a federal correctional facility, including the name, charging date, and expected place and date of release, of individuals convicted of a federal crime of terrorism.

DHS, prior to sharing such information, shall receive input and advice from DHS's Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Officer for Privacy, and Chief Intelligence Officer.

A fusion center serves as a focal point within the state and local environment for the receipt, analysis, gathering, and sharing of threat-related information between the federal government and state, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector partners.

DHS shall coordinate with appropriate federal officials to provide state, local, and regional fusion centers with periodic assessments regarding the overall threat from known or suspected terrorists currently incarcerated in a federal correctional facility.