The Shadow Wolves Program is a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement unit that works with the Tohono O'odham Nation and other tribal governments to track and investigate smuggling and border crimes on tribal lands. This bill directs the ICE Director, working with tribal partners, to formally define the program's mission and staffing needs, and to update its existing strategy within 180 days with specific recruitment and retention targets and timelines. It requires ICE to give current Shadow Wolves officers detailed information about converting from their current tactical-officer role to special-agent positions, including how the switch would affect their pay, retirement, and training requirements. The bill also lets experienced Shadow Wolves move into permanent career civil-service positions after three years of service, and requires ICE to report to Congress within a year on how these changes are being carried out. No new federal funding is authorized to carry out the Act.
Transparency & Accountability
- Reporting requirement — ICE must report to Congress within one year on implementation of the Shadow Wolves Program changes
- Program strategy update — Director must add measurable recruitment and staffing goals with timelines within 180 days of enactment
Congressional Summary
Shadow Wolves Improvement ActThis bill allows for the revision of the federal employment classification of the Shadow Wolves, a tactical patrol unit in Homeland Security Investigations currently operating on the lands of the Tohono O'odham Nation in Arizona on the U.S.-Mexico border, and establishes other requirements related to the expansion of the Shadow Wolves program.Specifically, the bill allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to noncompetitively convert certain special agents serving in the Shadow Wolves program from the excepted service to the competitive service. Competitive service positions in the federal government are subject to examinations and a statutorily defined hiring process. These agents must have served in the unit for three years to qualify for the conversion regardless of the location assigned. In coordination with appropriate representatives of partnering tribal governments, including the Tohono O'odham Nation, ICE must (1) specify the mission and goals of the Shadow Wolves program, and (2) update the strategy for the expansion of the program.Additionally, ICE must (1) determine national staffing needs and required skills for the program, (2) provide current Shadow Wolves classified as officers written information about reclassifying as special agents, (3) develop a succession plan for anticipated retirements among agents in the program, and (4) develop criteria for evaluating and selecting additional tribal lands on which additional Shadow Wolves units may be located.ICE must report to specified congressional committees regarding the implementation of this bill.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Reported to Senate
- Action Date
- 2025-11-03
- Date Added
- 2026-07-17
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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