May 12, 2026FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: NBrennanconsultant@vera.org
NEW YORK – Today, H.R. 2853, the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA) bill passed through the House of Representatives. The bill would expand the power of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and increase surveillance on people who live in the United States.
In response, Vera Action released the following statement from Aiden Cotter, Director of Federal Advocacy at Vera Action:
“We are disappointed to see so many Democrats join Republicans in the House to empower the Trump administration’s DHS, an agency that has proven to be reckless and completely unaccountable. Everyone deserves to feel safe—but CORCA is not a safety bill, it’s a surveillance bill. The legislation purports to address real concerns about organized theft, but in actuality, it’s a Trojan horse bill that would dramatically expand DHS power by providing them with more people’s data and entangling them in local law enforcement. Americans have made it clear that they want more restraint and accountability for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after tragic chaos erupted across the country. CORCA becoming law would be a major step back for those efforts.
“We applaud the 10 Democrat members who dropped their prior support for CORCA after 40 organizations signed on to a letter opposing the bill, and voters made their voices heard. Now is the time to harness this momentum to urge the Senate to reject CORCA and stop empowering DHS and ICE. Everyone deserves serious solutions for safety and justice.”