Definitions

In this Act: (1) Apprehension The term apprehension means the detention or arrest by officials of the Department or cooperating entities. (2) Child The term child means an individual who is younger than 18 years of age. (3) Child welfare agency The term child welfare agency means a State or local agency responsible for child welfare services under subtitles B and E of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). (4) Cooperating entity The term cooperating entity means a Federal, State or local entity acting under an agreement with the Secretary relating to immigration detention and apprehension. (5) Department The term Department means the Department of Homeland Security. (6) Detention facility (A) In general The term detention facility means a Federal, State, or local government facility, or a privately owned and operated facility, that is used, in whole or in part, to hold individuals under the authority of the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including facilities that hold such individuals under a contract or agreement with the Director. (B) Inclusions The term detention facility includes— (i) any short-term holding facility operated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or U.S. Customs and Border Protection that is used to hold individuals for internal immigration enforcement purposes; and (ii) any space where an individual or family unit is held in custody by the Department. (7) Immigration enforcement action The term immigration enforcement action means the apprehension of 1 or more individuals who the Secretary has reason to believe are removable under section 237 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1227). (8) Parent The term parent means— (A) a biological or adoptive parent of a child, or an adult otherwise recognized by the law of a foreign country as a parent, whose parental rights have not been relinquished or terminated under State law or the law of a foreign country; (B) a legal guardian of a child under State law or the law of a foreign country; and (C) a kin caregiver who has historically cared for a child when a parent is not present. (9) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of Homeland Security.