Shadow Wolves Improvement Act

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Bill ID: 119/s/572
Last Updated: July 15, 2026

Sponsored by

Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]

ID: G000574

Follow the money

The bill

Shadow Wolves Improvement Act

S. 572, 119th Congress — read as touching Law Enforcement & Surveillance Tech.

The sponsor

Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$98,700 raised

30 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

The alignment

85% match to Project 2025

This bill's text tracks the "Department of Homeland Security" section, p. 174-176 of the Mandate for Leadership.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 251.

November 2, 2025

Introduced

📍 Current Status

Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.

🏛️

Committee Review

🗳️

Floor Action

✅

Passed Senate

🏛️

House Review

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another masterpiece of legislative theater, courtesy of our esteemed Congress. The Shadow Wolves Improvement Act (S 572) is a perfect example of how politicians can take a relatively straightforward issue and turn it into a bloated, self-serving mess.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The bill's stated purpose is to "enhance the effectiveness" of the Shadow Wolves Program, which is a specialized unit within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that focuses on tracking, interdiction, and investigation along the southern border. But let's not be naive – this is just a euphemism for "throw more money at it and hope nobody notices."

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill makes several changes to existing law, including:

* Requiring the Director of ICE to specify the mission and goals of the Shadow Wolves Program in coordination with partnering Tribal governments (because, you know, that's not already being done). * Mandating a staffing needs assessment to determine how many special agents are needed for the program ( Spoiler alert: it'll be more than they have now). * Requiring the Director to update the strategy for the program within 180 days of enactment (i.e., just enough time for everyone to forget about it). * Allowing GS-1801 Tactical Officers to reclassify as special agents, complete with a handy guide on how to do so (because who doesn't love a good bureaucratic maze?).

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects are involved:

* ICE and its employees (who will likely see an influx of new paperwork and bureaucratic hoops to jump through). * Partnering Tribal governments (who will get to participate in more meetings and receive some token funding). * The Tohono O'odham Nation (which gets a special mention, because why not?).

**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a classic case of "more of the same" – throwing money at a problem without addressing its root causes. It's a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. The real impact will be:

* More bureaucratic red tape and inefficiency within ICE. * A slight increase in funding for the Shadow Wolves Program (which will likely be squandered on administrative costs). * A continued lack of meaningful reform or accountability within our immigration system.

In short, this bill is a masterclass in legislative obfuscation – a perfect example of how to create the illusion of action while accomplishing nothing. Bravo, Congress!

Related Topics

Congressional Rules & ProceduresState & Local Government Affairs
Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$98,700
18 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$98,700
Committees
$0
Individuals
$0

No PAC contributions found

1
SAN MANUEL BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
2 transactions
$6,600
2
SUQUAMISH INDIAN TRIBE
2 transactions
$6,600
3
TOHONO O'ODHAM NATION
2 transactions
$6,600
4
AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS
2 transactions
$6,600
5
NOTTAWASEPPI HURON BAND OF THE POTAWATOMI
2 transactions
$6,600
6
POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS
2 transactions
$6,600
7
SALT RIVER PIMA MARICOPA INDIAN COMMUNITY
2 transactions
$6,600
8
SANTA ROSA RANCHERIA
2 transactions
$6,600
9
THE CHICKASAW NATION
2 transactions
$6,600
10
MUCKLESHOOT INDIAN TRIBE
2 transactions
$6,600
11
FEDERATED INDIANS OF GRATON RANCHERIA
2 transactions
$6,600
12
PUYALLUP TRIBE OF INDIANS
2 transactions
$6,600
13
NISQUALLY INDIAN TRIBE
1 transaction
$3,300
14
SNOQUALMIE TRIBE
1 transaction
$3,300
15
VIEJAS BAND OF KUMEYAAY INDIANS
1 transaction
$3,300
16
AK-CHIN INDIAN COMMUNITY
1 transaction
$3,300
17
GILA RIVER INDIAN COMMUNITY
1 transaction
$3,300
18
SAN CARLOS APACHE TRIBE
1 transaction
$3,000

No committee contributions found

No individual contributions found

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 3 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]

ID: K000377

Top Contributors

24

1
PASCUA YAQUI TRIBE
OrganizationTUCSON, AZ
$3,300
Oct 23, 2023
2
THE CHICKASAW NATION
OrganizationADA, OK
$2,500
May 23, 2024
3
GILA RIVER INDIAN COMMUNITY
OrganizationSACATON, AZ
$1,000
Jun 15, 2023
4
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,000
Aug 12, 2024
5
CORMIER, STEPHEN
IndividualMANSFIELD, LA
$6,000
Dec 31, 2023
6
LEWIS, PAUL
NOT EMPLOYED • RETIRED
IndividualKINGMAN, AZ
$5,000
Oct 23, 2024
7
LEWIS, PAUL
IndividualKINGMAN, AZ
$5,000
Dec 6, 2024
8
BASS, JOSEPH P
NOT EMPLOYED • RETIRED
IndividualPORTLAND, OR
$5,000
Mar 29, 2024
9
PEROT, MARGOT B
NOT EMPLOYED • RETIRED
IndividualDALLAS, TX
$5,000
Apr 8, 2024
10
MILLER, JUDITH
IndividualINDIANAPOLIS, IN
$5,000
Sep 11, 2024

Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND]

ID: H001061

Top Contributors

24

1
SISSETON-WAHPETON OYATE
OrganizationAGENCY VILLAGE, SD
$2,500
Jul 2, 2024
2
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,000
Oct 30, 2023
3
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,000
Jun 25, 2024
4
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
OrganizationDURANT, OK
$550
Oct 5, 2023
5
ARTHAUD, JAMES R.
ND ENERGY • CEO
IndividualMEDORA, ND
$5,000
Oct 30, 2024
6
GLYNN, RICHARD
BIOSCIENCE ASSOCIATION OF ND • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
IndividualGRAND FORKS, ND
$5,000
Aug 5, 2024
7
LEPRINO, TERRY MS.
LEPRINO FOODS • BOARD DIRECTOR
IndividualDENVER, CO
$3,300
Nov 7, 2024
8
DAVIS, ASHLEY
WEST FRONT STRATEGIES • LOBBYIST
IndividualWASHINGTON, DC
$3,300
Jun 26, 2024
9
ARNOLD, JOHN
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualHOUSTON, TX
$3,300
Aug 20, 2024
10
KELLY, RYAN
PRIMACY STRATEGY GROUP • PRESIDENT
IndividualSAINT PAUL, MN
$2,500
Oct 4, 2024

Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]

ID: L000575

Top Contributors

22

1
MUSCOGEE CREEK NATION
OrganizationOKMULGEE, OK
$1,000
Oct 29, 2024
2
HUNTON ANDREWS KURTH LLP
OrganizationRICHMOND, VA
$1,000
Aug 4, 2023
3
SAMPLES, RYAN
SAMPLES GROUP • MANAGEMENT
IndividualOKLAHOMA CITY, OK
$6,600
Aug 30, 2023
4
KAY, ALISON
KIDS CAPITAL • HEDGE FUND MANAGER
IndividualBEVERLY HILLS, CA
$6,600
Jun 20, 2023
5
KANADY, CHRISTIAN
ECHO INVESTMENT CAPITAL, LLC • CEO
IndividualNICHOLS HILLS, OK
$6,600
Jun 10, 2024
6
MANDELBLATT, DANIELLE
RETIRED
IndividualASPEN, CO
$6,600
Jul 31, 2024
7
MANDELBLATT, ERIC
SOROBAN CAPITAL PARTNERS LP • MANAGING PARTNER
IndividualASPEN, CO
$6,600
Jul 31, 2024
8
ROWAN, CAROLYN
CAROLYN ROWAN COLLECTION • OWNER
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$6,600
Sep 30, 2024
9
ROWAN, MARC J.
APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT • CEO
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$6,600
Sep 30, 2024
10
ARMSTRONG, SINCLAIR WALKER JR.
ARMSTRONG BANK • CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
IndividualVIAN, OK
$6,600
Aug 30, 2023

Donor Network - Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

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Showing 60 nodes and 86 connections

Total contributions: $86

Top Donors - Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]

Showing top 18 donors by contribution amount

18 Orgs

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 1 helped.

  • The bill enhances the Shadow Wolves Program, a federal law enforcement initiative under ICE/Homeland Security Investigations, by expanding staffing, strategy, reclassification of tactical officers to special agents, succession planning, and program expansion to additional tribal lands. This directly benefits law enforcement and surveillance technology sectors by increasing federal law enforcement personnel, training, and operational capacity.

Who funds the sponsor on these industries

For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022–present cycles. Donations are not proof of intent — they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.

Industries this bill HELPS

Project 2025 Policy Matches

This bill shows semantic similarity to the following sections of the Project 2025 policy document.AI-enhanced analysis provides detailed alignment ratings.

Department of Homeland Security

Strong
Vector: 67%
Pages: 174-176AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The Shadow Wolves Improvement Act aligns with Project 2025's focus on enhancing ICE's enforcement capabilities, particularly in cross-border crime interdiction and clarifying operational roles within HSI. Both emphasize improving ICE's effectiveness in addressing alien smuggling, trafficking, and border-related crimes through better staffing, strategy, and mission clarity."

Key themes:ICE enforcementcross-border crimeHSI special agentsoperational claritymission effectiveness

— 142 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise Most of the foregoing can be accomplished rapidly and effectively through exec- utive action that is both lawful and appropriate. Additionally, ICE should clarify who is responsible for enforcing its criminal and civil authorities. It should also remove self-imposed limitations on its nationwide jurisdiction. l Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agents in the 1811 series should enforce Title 8 and 18 crimes as the biggest part of their portfolio. Alien smuggling, trafficking, and cross-border crime as defined under Title 85 and Title 186 should be the focus of ICE operations. l The role of ICE Deportation Officers should be clarified. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) should be identified as being primarily responsible for enforcing civil immigration regulations, including the civil arrest, detention, and removal of immigration violators anywhere in the United States, without warrant where appropriate, subject only to the civil warrant requirements of the INA where appropriate. l All ICE memoranda identifying “sensitive zones” where ICE personnel are prohibited from operating should be rescinded. Rely on the good judgment of officers in the field to avoid inappropriate situations. l To maximize the efficient use of its resources, ICE should make full use of existing Expedited Removal (ER) authorities. The agency has limited the use of ER to eligible aliens apprehended within 100 miles of the border. This is not a statutory requirement. New Policies U.S. national security and public safety interests would be well-served if ICE were to be combined with CBP and USCIS, as mentioned above. Additionally, ICE/ HSI, along with CBP, should be full participants in the Intelligence Community. The use of Blackies Warrants should be operationalized within ICE. These civil search warrants are commonly used for worksite enforcement when agents have probable cause that illegal aliens are employed at a business. This would stream- line investigations. Safeguarding Americans will require not just securing the border, but con- tinuous vetting and investigations of many aliens who exploited President Biden’s open border for potentially nefarious purposes, including some Afghan evacuees sent directly to the U.S. during America’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. — 143 — Department of Homeland Security Budget l Congress should mandate and fund additional bed space for alien detainees. ICE should be funded for a significant increase in detention space, raising the daily available number of beds to 100,000. l Congress should fund ICE for at least 20,000 ERO officers and 5,000 Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) attorneys. U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES (USCIS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the agency tasked with administering the legal immigration and certain temporary visa programs. Needed Reforms Since January 2021, USCIS’s priorities have been misaligned, and this has trans- formed it into an open-borders agency, ignoring the critical role that it plays in national security, public safety, and safeguarding the integrity of our immigration system. USCIS should be returned to operating as a screening and vetting agency. Regulatory efforts have focused on easing asylum eligibility in a manner that is guaranteed to exacerbate asylum fraud as people surge at the border. Emphasis also has been placed on removing legal barriers to immigration, such as the use of public benefits. These actions violate statutes, erode congressional intent, and provide a significant magnet for continued illegal immigration. Additionally, USCIS resources have been misappropriated to focus more on creating and expanding large-scale parole and temporary status programs that violate the law and are otherwise contrary to congressional intent instead of focus- ing on a more secure and efficient process for those who are seeking benefits. The ever-increasing number of applications filed has made it difficult to vet applica- tions adequately for eligibility, fraud, and specific national security and public safety problems. The Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate (FDNS) is currently a small directorate with assigned officers reporting through the chain of command in the field, and this has led to stovepiping, lack of coordination in national policy, and inconsistencies throughout the agency. To prioritize vetting and fraud detection, FDNS should undergo a structural shift focused on direct reporting from the field to headquarters, reclassification of leadership, and FDNS directives taking prece- dence over those of other component entities. Correcting the current misalignment of agency priorities and resources should begin with this primary shift in focus to vetting and fraud detection. These actions would reform the agency, returning it to its screening and vetting mission in protecting the homeland. Other structural changes should include reimplementation of the USCIS denat- uralization unit—an effort to maintain integrity in the system by identifying and

Department of Homeland Security

Moderate
Vector: 67%
Pages: 174-176AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill focuses on enhancing ICE's Shadow Wolves Program to improve cross-border crime interdiction on tribal lands, which aligns with Project 2025's emphasis on ICE prioritizing alien smuggling, trafficking, and cross-border crime. However, it does not address the specific Project 2025 directives on case closures, T/U visas, detention/bond policy, SEVP, or broader ICE restructuring."

Key themes:ICE enforcementcross-border crimeborder securityimmigration enforcementtribal collaboration

— 141 — Department of Homeland Security enforcement. To return ICE to its primary mission, any new Administration that wishes to restore the rule of law to our immigration enforcement efforts should: l Order ICE to stop closing out pending immigration cases and apply the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) as written by Congress.3 The Biden Administration closed out tens of thousands of immigration cases that had already been prepared and were slated for expedited removal processing or hearings before the U.S. Immigration Court. This misguided action constituted an egregious example of lawlessness that allowed thousands of illegal aliens and other immigration violators to go free in the United States. l Direct ICE to stop ignoring criminal aliens identified through the 287(g) program.4 Ultimately, Congress should prevent ICE from ignoring criminal aliens identified by local law enforcement agencies that are partners in the 287(g) program. However, before congressional action, ICE should be directed to take custody of all aliens with records for felonies, crimes of violence, DUIs, previous removals, and any other crime that is considered a national security or public safety threat as defined under current laws. l Eliminate T and U visas. Victimization should not be a basis for an immigration benefit. If an alien who was a trafficking or crime victim is actively and significantly cooperating with law enforcement as a witness, the S visa is already available and should be used. Pending elimination of the T and U visas, the Secretary should significantly restrict eligibility for each visa to prevent fraud. l Issue clear guidance regarding detention and bond for aliens. Thousands of illegal aliens are allowed to bond out of immigration detention only to disappear into the interior of the United States where many commit crimes and many others disappear, never to be heard from again. This occurs primarily because of poorly worded bond regulations, contradictory bond policy memoranda, and poor practices for managing released aliens and the Alternatives to Detention (ATD) Program, which requires significant reform. l Prioritize national security in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). ICE should end its current cozy deference to educational institutions and remove security risks from the program. This requires working with the Department of State to eliminate or significantly reduce the number of visas issued to foreign students from enemy nations. — 142 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise Most of the foregoing can be accomplished rapidly and effectively through exec- utive action that is both lawful and appropriate. Additionally, ICE should clarify who is responsible for enforcing its criminal and civil authorities. It should also remove self-imposed limitations on its nationwide jurisdiction. l Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agents in the 1811 series should enforce Title 8 and 18 crimes as the biggest part of their portfolio. Alien smuggling, trafficking, and cross-border crime as defined under Title 85 and Title 186 should be the focus of ICE operations. l The role of ICE Deportation Officers should be clarified. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) should be identified as being primarily responsible for enforcing civil immigration regulations, including the civil arrest, detention, and removal of immigration violators anywhere in the United States, without warrant where appropriate, subject only to the civil warrant requirements of the INA where appropriate. l All ICE memoranda identifying “sensitive zones” where ICE personnel are prohibited from operating should be rescinded. Rely on the good judgment of officers in the field to avoid inappropriate situations. l To maximize the efficient use of its resources, ICE should make full use of existing Expedited Removal (ER) authorities. The agency has limited the use of ER to eligible aliens apprehended within 100 miles of the border. This is not a statutory requirement. New Policies U.S. national security and public safety interests would be well-served if ICE were to be combined with CBP and USCIS, as mentioned above. Additionally, ICE/ HSI, along with CBP, should be full participants in the Intelligence Community. The use of Blackies Warrants should be operationalized within ICE. These civil search warrants are commonly used for worksite enforcement when agents have probable cause that illegal aliens are employed at a business. This would stream- line investigations. Safeguarding Americans will require not just securing the border, but con- tinuous vetting and investigations of many aliens who exploited President Biden’s open border for potentially nefarious purposes, including some Afghan evacuees sent directly to the U.S. during America’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Department of Homeland Security

Moderate
Vector: 65%
Pages: 183-185AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The Shadow Wolves Improvement Act focuses on enhancing ICE's border enforcement capabilities on tribal lands, which aligns with Project 2025's broader goals of strengthening immigration enforcement and border security, though it does not directly implement specific measures like asylum restrictions or detention mandates outlined in the policy."

Key themes:border securityICE enforcementimmigration enforcementtribal coordination

— 151 — Department of Homeland Security l Employment authorization. Along with the legislative proposal, take regulatory action to limit the classes of aliens eligible for work authorization. Executive Orders l Pathways for border crossers 1. Direct the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security to reinstate Asylum Cooperative Agreements with Northern Triangle Countries immediately. 2. Recommence negotiations with Mexico to fully implement the Remain in Mexico Protocols. 3. Reinstate, to the extent possible, expedited pathways with full credible fear/immigration court process (PACR and HARP). 4. Prohibit the use of Notices to Report, the use of any funds for travel into the interior of the United States, and government flights or transportation for aliens. 5. Mandate that ICE use all detention space in full compliance with Section 235 of the INA, issue weekly reports on detention capacity, and provide authority for low-level temporary capacity (for example, tents) once permanent space is full. 6. Eliminate the use of ATD for border crossers except in rare cases and only with the explicit authority of the Secretary. 7. Prohibit the use of parole except in matters that are certified by the Secretary of Homeland Security as requiring action for humanitarian or significant public benefit reasons, and prohibit the use of parole in any categorical circumstance. l Enforcement 1. Restrict prosecutorial discretion to eliminate it as a “catch-all” excuse for limiting immigration enforcement. 2. Mandate the use of E-Verify for anyone doing business with the government. — 152 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise 3. Designate USCIS as Intelligence Community–adjacent, ensuring that it has access to national security and law enforcement databases. 4. Rescind all memoranda limiting enforcement of immigration laws including those identifying sensitive zones. 5. End ICE’s widespread use of termination and administrative closure of cases in immigration court. l Averting or curtailing a mass migration event 1. Provide that whenever the Secretary of Homeland Security determines that an actual or anticipated mass migration of aliens en route to or arriving off the coast of the U.S. presents urgent circumstances requiring an immediate federal response, the Secretary may make, subject to the approval of the President, rules and regulations prohibiting in whole or in part the introduction of persons from such countries or places as he or she shall designate in order to avert or curtail such mass migration and for such period of time as is deemed necessary, including through the expulsion of such aliens. Such rule and regulation making shall not be subject to the requirements of the Administrative Procedures Act. 2. Provide that notwithstanding any other provision of law, when the Secretary makes such a determination and then promulgates, subject to the approval of the President, such rules and regulations, the Secretary shall have the authority to waive all legal requirements of Title 8 that the Secretary, in his or her sole discretion, determines are necessary to avert or curtail the mass migration. Subregulatory Matters l USCIS priorities/structural changes 1. Ensure that focus is returned to vetting, base eligibility of applicants, and fraud detection. 2. Realign the Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate (FDNS) to ensure agencywide consistency on implementation of fraud detection and vetting policies. 3. Review and repeal any internal agency memo that is inconsistent with the priorities described in this chapter.

Showing 3 of 5 policy matches

About These Correlations

Policy matches are calculated using a hybrid approach: initial candidates are found using semantic similarity between bill summaries and Project 2025 policy text, then an AI model (Llama 3.1 70B) provides detailed alignment ratings and analysis. Ratings range from 1 (minimal alignment) to 5 (very strong alignment). This analysis does not imply direct causation or intent.

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