Observed Signal · Sep 16, 2026 · Policy Update · Source: Retail Dive · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Negative
Retail crime bill could involve retailers in ICE enforcement
The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA), which passed the U.S. House and awaits a Senate vote, would create a Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center within Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Critics warn this could involve retailers in immigration enforcement, as HSI agents are increasingly diverted to ICE activities. The NRF and RILA support the bill, while civil rights groups and some retailers express concerns about data sharing, racial profiling, and unintended consequences.
Relevant to AdTech/Retail Media due to potential implications for retail data sharing and privacy, but not a central industry event.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- CORCA passed the U.S. House in May and is expected to face a Senate vote by the end of 2026.
- The bill would establish a Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center within HSI, headed by an ICE-appointed director.
- Nearly 90% of HSI agents (6,198 out of 7,100) were diverted to immigration enforcement in 2025, according to the Cato Institute.
- The NRF stopped publishing its retail crime impact assessment in 2023 after Retail Dive found it conflated outdated shrink estimates.
- Over half of Americans have little or no confidence in ICE, according to a July 2026 YouGov poll.
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Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
NRF: Shoplifting Stabilizes, Online Gift-Card Fraud Grows
The National Retail Federation (NRF) reports that shoplifting incidents have stabilized and fallen for the first time in several years, a trend the NRF attributes to retailers’ investments in store hardening, technology and staff training. Meanwhile, loss-prevention specialists at over 60 major retailers cite increases in phone scams, e-commerce/digital fraud, and gift-card and return fraud; the report also highlights supply-chain vulnerabilities such as cargo theft. The NRF surveyed senior loss prevention and security executives at 66 retailers (143 brands) from February to April 2026. The article notes the NRF no longer publishes an annual shrink report (stopped in 2024) and references other research showing shoplifting rises in some U.S. cities. The U.S. House passed anti-organized retail crime legislation earlier in 2026, an NRF lobbying priority.
Retailers and Police Demand Action on Organized Shoplifting
German retail association HDE and the police union GdP warn that organized shoplifting has become a major economic and security problem, causing more than €3 billion in annual losses. In a joint position paper they call for stronger criminal prosecution, more personnel and technical resources for police, prosecutors and courts, nationwide practical GDPR guidance for in-store video surveillance, and legal clarity for AI-based video analysis. The organisations propose state-level specialised public prosecutor units for organised theft, improved national and international information exchange, and targeted asset recovery to hit criminal structures and backers. GdP federal chair Jochen Kopelke criticised that shoplifting is often treated as a minor offence and stressed the need for intensified investigations.
SECURE Data Act's Odds of Passing Congress
House Republicans introduced the SECURE Data Act, a federal privacy bill that would create a single national privacy standard and preempt state privacy laws. The bill would apply to companies meeting relatively high consumer- and revenue-based thresholds (e.g., collecting personal data on >200,000 consumers and $25M+ revenue, or 100,000 consumers and ≥25% revenue from data sales). It embeds familiar privacy principles and consumer rights (access, correction, deletion, opt-out of targeted ads) and designates the FTC as the primary enforcer; there is no private right of action. Legal and industry experts quoted in AdExchanger generally describe the bill as business-friendly and note preemption remains the primary political obstacle, especially with California opposition. While some observers believe it could advance through committee, most interviewed express skepticism about it becoming law this Congress without major revisions.
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