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251 records in US in 2019
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2019
This bill provides for criminal penalties for an alien who stays in the United States after the expiration of the alien's visa. Such an alien shall be criminally fined, imprisoned for up to one year, or both.
United States · United States House of Representatives · 22 May 2019
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2019
Protecting Data at the Border Act This bill limits government access to digital information at the border. A governmental entity may not (1) access the digital contents of electronic equipment of a U.S. person at the border without a warrant, (2) deny such a person's entry into or exit from the United States because the person refused to provide access to digital content on electronic equipment or online account information, (3) delay such a person's entry or exit for more than four hours to determine whether the person will consent to providing access to online information, or (4) seize electronic equipment from a U.S. person without probable cause to believe that such equipment contains information relevant to a felony. A governmental entity may access the contents of electronic equipment of a U.S. person without a warrant in an emergency. The entity must subsequently apply for a warrant within seven days, and if a warrant is not granted, the seized information must be destroyed and may not be disclosed. A governmental entity may not make or retain a copy of information accessed under this bill without probable cause to believe that such information relates to a crime. Information seized in violation of this bill (1) must be destroyed, (2) may not be disclosed, and (3) may not be received in evidence in any trial or government proceeding. A governmental entity shall keep a record of each instance in which it obtains access to an individual's digital information at the border.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2019
Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act of 2019 This bill exempts from worldwide or numerical limitations certain family-sponsored immigrant visas for the sons and daughters of Filipino World War II veterans who were naturalized under certain laws providing for naturalization for service during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2019
Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act This bill modifies the Conrad 30 Waiver program, which incentivizes qualified foreign physicians to serve in underserved communities. It also extends statutory authority for the program through FY2021. Aliens coming to the United States under a J-1 nonimmigrant visa to receive medical training typically must leave the country and reside for two years abroad before being eligible to apply for an immigrant visa or permanent residence. The Conrad program waives this requirement for individuals who meet certain qualifications, including serving for a number of years at a health care facility in an underserved area. The bill increases the number of waivers that a state may obtain each fiscal year from 30 to 35 if a certain number of waivers were used the previous year, and provides for further adjustments depending on demand. An alien physician may be employed at an academic medical center to meet the Conrad program's employment requirements if the alien's work is in the public interest, even if the medical center is not in an underserved area. Employment contracts for alien physicians under the Conrad program shall contain certain information, such as the maximum number of on-call hours per week the physician shall have to work. Certain alien physicians (along with the physician's spouse and children) shall be exempt from the direct annual numerical limits on immigration, including those physicians that have met certain requirements related to visas for physicians to serve in underserved areas.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2019
Remedies for Refusal of Repatriation Act This bill provides for penalties for countries that refuse or delay repatriation of certain nationals ordered to be removed from the United States. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall establish procedures for determining whether a foreign country is systematically and unreasonably refusing or delaying repatriation of that country's nationals ordered removed from the United States who (1) have been convicted of a felony or crime of violence, or (2) are a threat to national security or public safety. The Department of State and DHS shall notify representatives of a country found to be engaging in such behavior that the United States may stop issuing visas to that country's nationals. If the country continues to systematically and unreasonably refuse or delay repatriation of the individuals described in this bill, the State Department shall stop issuing visas to nationals of that country.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2019
Protecting Data at the Border Act This bill limits government access to digital information at the border. A governmental entity may not (1) access the digital contents of electronic equipment of a U.S. person at the border without a warrant, (2) deny such a person's entry into or exit from the United States because the person refused to provide access to digital content on electronic equipment or online account information, (3) delay such a person's entry or exit for more than four hours to determine whether the person will consent to providing access to online information, or (4) seize electronic equipment from a U.S. person without probable cause to believe that such equipment contains information relevant to a felony. A governmental entity may access the contents of electronic equipment of a U.S. person without a warrant in an emergency. The entity must subsequently apply for a warrant within seven days, and if a warrant is not granted, the seized information must be destroyed and may not be disclosed. A governmental entity may not make or retain a copy of information accessed under this bill without probable cause to believe that such information relates to a crime. Information seized in violation of this bill (1) must be destroyed, (2) may not be disclosed, and (3) may not be received in evidence in any trial or government proceeding. A governmental entity shall keep a record of each instance in which it obtains access to an individual's digital information at the border.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2019
Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act of 2019 This bill exempts from worldwide or numerical limitations certain family-sponsored immigrant visas for the sons and daughters of Filipino World War II veterans who were naturalized under certain laws providing for naturalization for service during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2019
End Mass Deportation Act This bill rescinds Executive Order 13768, dated January 25, 2017, entitled Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States . (The executive order contains various provisions relating to immigration enforcement, including ones (1) directing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to prioritize removal of certain criminal aliens, and (2) authorizing the Department of Justice and DHS to render a sanctuary jurisdiction ineligible for certain federal grants if the jurisdiction willfully violates any law requiring local officials to cooperate with immigration enforcement officials.)
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2019
This bill expands the E-3 visa program to cover Irish nationals. The E-3 visa is a nonimmigrant visa currently only available to Australian nationals coming to the United States for employment in a specialty occupation. For Irish E-3 initial applications, the Department of State may approve each fiscal year no more than 10,500 minus the number of Australian initial applications approved the previous fiscal year.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2019
Protect Medicaid Act This bill prohibits federal payment under Medicaid for the administrative costs of providing health benefits to noncitizens who are ineligible for Medicaid based on their immigration status. The Department of Health and Human Services must report on specified information regarding states that provide health benefits to such individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2019
Accountability for Care of Unaccompanied Alien Children Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to provide the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) information relating to an unaccompanied alien child's sponsor or potential sponsor, as well as each member of the household of the sponsor or potential sponsor. DHS may use such information for immigration enforcement, and law enforcement agencies may use such information to investigate any suspected violation of law.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2019
Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2019 This bill provides for the automatic acquisition of citizenship for certain individuals adopted by a U.S. citizen. A child born outside the United States and adopted by a U.S. citizen shall automatically acquire citizenship upon meeting certain requirements, regardless of when the adoption was finalized. Currently, adoptees who were over the age of 18 on February 27, 2001, do not automatically acquire citizenship. An individual born outside the United States and residing in the United States shall automatically acquire citizenship if the individual (1) was adopted by a citizen before becoming 18 years old, (2) was physically present in the United States in the citizen parent's custody pursuant to lawful admission before becoming 18 years old, (3) never acquired citizenship before this bill's enactment, and (4) was lawfully residing in the United States on this bill's enactment date. An individual born outside the United States and residing outside the United States but who otherwise meets all of the requirements shall automatically acquire citizenship upon being physically present in the United States pursuant to lawful admission. Such an individual shall be subject to a background check. If the background check reveals the individual has committed a crime that was not properly resolved, the individual may not receive a visa unless the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State have coordinated with law enforcement to ensure that action was taken to resolve the issue.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2019
No Passport Fees for Heroes' Families Act This bill waives the passport fees for certain family members of a member of the Armed Forces if the family members are traveling abroad to visit the Armed Forces member in the hospital. This waiver applies to the husband, wife, domestic partner, children, parents, grandparents, and siblings of an Armed Forces member.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2019
Public Oversight of Detention Centers Act of 2019 or the POD Act of 2019 This bill prohibits certain limitations on the ability of a Member of Congress to access any facility for detaining aliens operated by the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Health and Human Services, or affiliated private contractors. Specifically, the Member must be allowed to enter such a facility within 48 hours of a request to do so, and the facility may not be temporarily modified in a way that alters what the Member would otherwise observe.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2019
American Promise Act of 2019 This bill provides certain eligible aliens with permanent residence status. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice shall cancel removal proceedings against an eligible alien who applies for an adjustment to permanent residence status. The alien must (1) have been continually physically present in the United States for at least three years; (2) not be inadmissible due to various reasons, such as those related to health or criminal activity; (3) have been eligible for temporary protected status (TPS) or deferred enforced departure (DED) status on a certain date; and (4) have not engaged in conduct that would disqualify the alien from such status. TPS and DED status allow nationals of certain countries to temporarily remain and work in the United States. DHS may not use information from applications to adjust status for immigration enforcement purposes. Such information may be shared with law enforcement only for limited purposes, such as to prevent fraudulent claims or to investigate felonies not related to immigration status. DHS shall establish a grant program for nonprofit organizations that assist individuals with certain immigration-related issues, including applications for adjustment of status under this bill. The bill imposes various requirements related to the application, such as fees, documents to be submitted, and biometric data for background checks. DHS may waive certain requirements for humanitarian concerns and other reasons.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2019
Dream Act of 2019 This bill provides certain aliens with a path to receive permanent resident status and contains other immigration-related provisions. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the Department of Justice (DOJ) shall provide conditional permanent resident status for 10 years to a qualifying alien who entered the United States as a minor and (1) is deportable or inadmissible, or (2) has deferred enforced departure status or temporary protected status. The bill imposes various qualifying requirements, such as the alien being continuously physically present in the United States since four years before this bill's enactment, passing a background check, and being enrolled in or having completed certain educational programs. DHS shall remove the conditions placed on permanent resident status granted under this bill if the alien applies and meets certain requirements, such as completing certain programs at an educational institution, serving in the military, or being employed. An alien shall have the right to administrative and judicial review of the denial or revocation of an immigration status granted under this bill. Furthermore, an alien shall be appointed counsel upon request when seeking judicial review of a provisional denial of an application for permanent resident status under this bill. DHS may not use information from applications filed under this bill or for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status for immigration enforcement purposes. DHS shall establish a grant program for nonprofit organizations that assist individuals with certain immigration-related issues.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2019
Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security to provide employment authorization for eligible asylum applicants. Currently, such individuals are not entitled to employment authorization but may be granted such by the Department of Justice. Such employment authorization shall last for one year and be renewable for one-year terms during the period necessary to adjudicate the applicant's asylum claim. The bill also shortens the waiting period for receiving employment authorization to 30 days from the filing of the asylum application.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2019
Helping Labor Personnel on Farms Act or the HELP Farms Act This bill provides nonrenewable temporary resident status for certain nonseasonal agricultural workers. To apply for such status, a qualifying alien must be sponsored by a qualifying employer and provide certain required documentation within six months of this bill's enactment. A qualifying alien shall (1) be a U.S. resident for tax purposes for a certain period of time, (2) not qualify for a temporary agricultural worker (H-2A) visa, and (3) have been employed by the sponsoring employer for the two years preceding the date of the application. An alien shall be ineligible for temporary resident status for various safety-related reasons, such as a conviction in the United States for a particularly serious crime (e.g. murder or rape). The spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age of an alien who receives such status shall also be eligible for such status. While an application is pending, a qualified alien shall not be considered unlawfully present in the United States or an unauthorized alien. If a qualified alien is detained or in removal proceedings during the application period, the alien shall be given a reasonable opportunity to apply for temporary resident status. The Department of Labor shall modify regulations related to H-2A visas to ensure that aliens wishing to temporarily come to the United States to perform nonseasonal agricultural labor may do so on an annual basis.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2019
Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2019 This bill provides for 4,000 additional special immigrant visas to qualified nationals of Afghanistan who were employed by or on behalf of the United States since October 7, 2001. The visa allotment, in addition to any unused allocations of such special immigrant visas from FY2015 through FY2017, shall be available beginning FY2019, and unused visas shall carry over to subsequent fiscal years until exhausted. The Department of State Inspector General shall report to Congress on obstacles to protecting Afghan and Iraqi allies through special immigrant visa programs and recommendations for improving future programs.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2019
TPS and DED Protection Act of 2019 This bill provides a path to lawful permanent resident status for qualifying aliens who, on or before a certain date (1) had or were eligible for temporary protected status (TPS), or (2) had received deferred enforced departure (DED) status. (TPS is available to nationals of designated countries, and an alien with such status is allowed to remain in the United States with work authorization. DED status also prevents removal and provides work authorization.) A qualifying alien must have been continually present in the United States for at least three years before this bill's enactment. An alien who previously had TPS or DED status and was removed or departed solely due to the termination of such status may apply for lawful admission as a permanent resident from abroad, subject to certain conditions. Certain grounds for inadmissibility, such as an alien likely being a public charge, shall not apply to aliens applying for permanent resident status under this bill. The parents, spouse, or unmarried child of an alien admitted for permanent residence under this bill shall also be admitted for permanent residence. Qualifying aliens admitted for permanent residence under this bill shall be eligible for naturalization. Language proficiency requirements related to naturalization shall be waived for such aliens. Venezuela shall be treated as a designated TPS country. Within three days after announcing the termination a country's designation for TPS, the Department of Justice shall report to Congress the circumstances surrounding the termination.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2019
Summer Meals Act of 201 9 This bill revises provisions related to the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA), which provides meals to children and teens in low-income areas during the summer months when school is not in session. The bill redefines areas in which poor economic conditions exist , where the SFSP may operate, as areas in which at least 40% (currently, 50%) of the children have been determined to be eligible for free or reduced price school meals under the school lunch and breakfast programs. The bill reimburses service institutions (other than school food authorities) for up to one meal and one snack per child each day during after-school hours, weekends, and school holidays during the regular school calendar. Currently, such institutions are reimbursed for meals and snacks served to children over the summer months or to children who are on vacation under a continuous school calendar. USDA may award competitive grants to service institutions to increase participation in the summer food service program for children at congregate feeding sites through innovative approaches to limited transportation and mobile meal trucks. Service institutions that are participating in the summer food service program for children may serve up to three meals, or two meals and one snack, during each day of operation. Currently, this option is reserved for camps and service institutions that serve meals primarily to migrant children.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2019
This bill prohibits the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from implementing, administering, enforcing, or in any manner making effective the proposed rule titled Housing and Community Development Act of 1980: Verification of Eligible Status , issued on May 10, 2019, or any final rule based substantially on such proposed rule. The rule requires that every member of a household receiving HUD housing assistance must be a U.S. citizen or noncitizen with eligible immigration status.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2019
Secure and Protect Act of 2019 This bill makes changes to the handling of unaccompanied alien children and asylum applications. The Flores settlement (a court settlement imposing conditions on the treatment of detained alien minors) shall not restrict any activities. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall have sole discretion as to detention standards of alien minors. Statutory provisions governing the handling of unaccompanied alien children from U.S.-bordering countries shall now govern all unaccompanied alien children. The bill provides for requirements relating to the handling of such alien children. Certain immigration officer determinations relating to unaccompanied alien children shall be unreviewable. DHS may detain accompanied alien children up to 100 days (some courts have ruled that Flores limits the detention of certain alien children to 20 days). States may not impose licensing requirements for family detention facilities. An unaccompanied alien child shall not be released from custody while immigration or removal proceedings are pending, with some exceptions. The bill limits asylum eligibility to aliens entering the United States at a designated port of entry and provides for additional grounds for asylum ineligibility. A credible fear of persecution is redefined to mean that it is more likely than not that the alien would be able to establish eligibility for asylum. The Department of State shall establish refugee application and processing centers in Mexico and Central America. The bill requires the hiring of additional immigration judges, support staff, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement attorneys.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2019
Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2019 This bill provides for 4,000 additional special immigrant visas to qualified nationals of Afghanistan who were employed by or on behalf of the United States since October 7, 2001. The visa allotment, in addition to any unused allocations of such special immigrant visas from FY2015 through FY2017, shall be available beginning FY2019, and unused visas shall carry over to subsequent fiscal years until exhausted. The Department of State Inspector General shall report to Congress on obstacles to protecting Afghan and Iraqi allies through special immigrant visa programs and recommendations for improving future programs.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2019
Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2019 This bill provides for the automatic acquisition of citizenship for certain individuals adopted by a U.S. citizen. A child born outside the United States and adopted by a U.S. citizen shall automatically acquire citizenship upon meeting certain requirements, regardless of when the adoption was finalized. Currently, adoptees who were over the age of 18 on February 27, 2001, do not automatically acquire citizenship. An individual born outside the United States and residing in the United States shall automatically acquire citizenship if the individual (1) was adopted by a citizen before becoming 18 years old, (2) was physically present in the United States in the citizen parent's custody pursuant to lawful admission before becoming 18 years old, (3) never acquired citizenship before this bill's enactment, and (4) was lawfully residing in the United States on this bill's enactment date. An individual born outside the United States and residing outside the United States but who otherwise meets all of the requirements shall automatically acquire citizenship upon being physically present in the United States pursuant to lawful admission. Such an individual shall be subject to a background check. If the background check reveals the individual has committed a crime that was not properly resolved, the individual may not receive a visa unless the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State have coordinated with law enforcement to ensure that action was taken to resolve the issue.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2019
Protecting the Rights Of Towns against federal Enforcement contrary to Constitutional Tenets for Immigration Act of 2019 or the PROTECT Immigration Act of 2019 This bill establishes that the authority to investigate, apprehend, or detain aliens for the purposes of immigration enforcement is limited to immigration officers and authorized Department of Homeland Security employees, except when such authority is provided to other individuals under specified statutes. Specifically, this restriction does not apply in certain instances involving (1) an actual or imminent mass influx of aliens, (2) persons bringing in and harboring aliens in violation of immigration laws, and (3) an alien illegally present in the United States who had previously left or was deported after being convicted of a felony. The bill repeals authority allowing the Department of Justice to enter into agreements authorizing state or local government employees to perform immigration enforcement functions.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2019
People's Liberation Army (PLA) Visa Security Act This bill bars individuals affiliated with the Chinese military from entering the United States on visas for students (F visa) or work-and-study exchange (J visa). The President shall publish a list identifying research, engineering, and scientific institutions affiliated or funded by China's People's Liberation Army. Aliens who are or were previously employed, sponsored, or funded by any institution on the list shall be subject to the bar. When a Chinese national applies for an F or J visa for an academic field related to an item on the Commerce Control List (a list of items subject to export controls), the consular officer handling the application shall request a special background check on the applicant.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2019
Maintaining Appropriate Protections for Legal Entry Act of 2019 or the MAPLE Act of 2019 This bill removes various marijuana-related acts from the list of crimes that would make an alien inadmissible for entry into the United States or deportable, if such acts were lawful in the jurisdiction where they occurred.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2019
This bill expands a Department of Justice (DOJ) program for compensating states and localities for costs related to the incarceration of certain aliens. Currently, the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) requires DOJ to compensate state and localities for the costs for incarcerating an undocumented criminal alien. The bill expands SCAAP to require DOJ to provide compensation for incarcerating aliens whose immigration status cannot be definitively identified. The bill also expands the definition of an "undocumented criminal alien" to include qualifying aliens who were charged with a felony or two misdemeanors, where the statute currently requires convictions of such crimes. The bill also authorizes the program through FY2024.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2019
People's Liberation Army (PLA) Visa Security Act This bill bars individuals affiliated with the Chinese military from entering the United States on visas for students (F visa) or work-and-study exchange (J visa). The President shall publish a list identifying research, engineering, and scientific institutions affiliated or funded by China's People's Liberation Army. Aliens who are or were previously employed, sponsored, or funded by any institution on the list shall be subject to the bar. When a Chinese national applies for an F or J visa for an academic field related to an item on the Commerce Control List (a list of items subject to export controls), the consular officer handling the application shall request a special background check on the applicant.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2019
Central America Reform and Enforcement Act This bill establishes programs to address the humanitarian crisis in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras (the Northern Triangle countries) and to handle asylum-seekers from those countries. The Department of State shall report to Congress a five-year interagency strategy to address the factors driving migration from Central America. The bill establishes various new immigration-related penalties, such as making it unlawful to knowingly destroy any government-deployed border-control device (e.g., fence or camera). The State Department shall work to expand the capacity of other countries to provide asylum. The State Department shall establish at least four Designated Application Processing Centers in the Northern Triangle countries and Mexico to adjudicate asylum applications and admit qualified aliens from the Northern Triangle countries as refugees. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall provide certain assessments and health care services to unaccompanied alien children. The rights of a parent or guardian over an unaccompanied alien child may be terminated only pursuant to a court order. The Office of Refugee Resettlement shall conduct certain background checks on prospective sponsors of an unaccompanied alien child. To receive certain funding, a local educational agency must ensure that unaccompanied alien children are served. An unaccompanied alien child shall be appointed free counsel in immigration proceedings. The Department of Justice shall increase the number of immigration judges and Board of Immigration Appeals staff attorneys. The Department of Homeland Security, HHS, and the State Department shall develop a process for repatriating unaccompanied children to their country of origin. This process must require a determination of the child's best interests.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2019
Protecting the Rights Of Towns against federal Enforcement contrary to Constitutional Tenets for Immigration Act or the PROTECT Immigration Act This bill establishes that the authority to investigate, apprehend, or detain aliens for the purposes of immigration enforcement is limited to immigration officers and authorized Department of Homeland Security employees, except when such authority is provided to other individuals under specified statutes. Specifically, this restriction does not apply in certain instances involving (1) an actual or imminent mass influx of aliens, (2) persons bringing in and harboring aliens in violation of immigration laws, and (3) an alien illegally present in the United States who had previously left or was deported after being convicted of a felony. The bill repeals the authority allowing the Department of Justice to enter into agreements authorizing state or local government employees to perform immigration enforcement functions.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2019
Border Property Protection Act This bill prohibits any federal department or agency from transferring, obligating, or expending funds in connection with using eminent domain to take property for constructing physical barriers along the southern border.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2019
Asylum Seeker Protection Act This bill prohibits the use of funds to implement or enforce the Migrant Protection Protocols announced on December 20, 2018. (The protocol generally requires that aliens who are not clearly admissible arriving by land along the U.S.-Mexico border be returned to Mexico while their immigration proceedings are pending, rather than remain in the United States. The protocol applies to aliens seeking asylum but who have been assessed not to be more likely than not to face persecution or torture in Mexico.)
United States · United States House of Representatives · 9 May 2019
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2019
Commercial Fishing and Seafood Business Act of 2019 This bill exempts certain H-2B visas from the annual cap of 66,000 on such visas. The exemption applies to H-2B visas issued to nonimmigrant aliens for employment (1) on a commercial fishing vessel or shrimp trawler; or (2) in the processing of fish, baitfish, or fishery products. (An H-2B visa is for an alien entering the United States to perform nonagricultural temporary labor, where the alien has no intention of abandoning the alien's residence in a foreign country.)
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2019
United States-Northern Triangle Enhanced Engagement Act This bill authorizes foreign assistance to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras (the Northern Triangle), and requires the Department of State to devise strategies to address economic development, corruption, and other issues in those countries. It also requires reports on various related topics, including factors that drive migrants from those countries to the United States. A portion of the assistance authorized for the Northern Triangle shall be conditioned upon the receiving country taking various actions, including (1) informing its citizens of the dangers of the journey to the United States, (2) fighting human and drug trafficking, and (3) combatting corruption. The State Department shall devise strategies directed at the Northern Triangle region to (1) promote inclusive economic growth that addresses the underlying causes of poverty and inequality, (2) combat corruption, (3) strengthen democratic institutions and rule of law, and (4) improve security conditions through means such as the professionalization of security services. The State Department shall designate a Senior Rule of Law Advisor for the Northern Triangle. The State Department shall also devise a strategy to work with Mexico to strengthen its southern border. The President shall impose sanctions on foreign persons determined to be involved in a significant act of corruption in a Northern Triangle country. Individuals who engage in such corruption shall be subject to property-blocking sanctions and barred from entering the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2019
Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019 This bill reauthorizes, revises, and establishes several programs and entities relating to public-health emergency preparedness and response. Among other programs, the bill reauthorizes through FY2023 and revises the Public Health Emergency Preparedness cooperative-agreement program administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Hospital Preparedness Program administered by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, the CDC situational-awareness and biosurveillance program, the Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals, the National Disaster Medical System, the Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps, the National Advisory Committee on Children and Disasters, the Strategic National Stockpile, and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. In addition, the bill provides statutory authority for several existing programs, including the Children's Preparedness Unit within the CDC and the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise. The bill also establishes new programs and entities, including a trauma-center grant program to support military trauma teams. Finally, the bill institutes a series of reporting requirements for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including a report regarding efforts to reunify children in HHS facilities with their parents after separation at the U.S.-Mexico border under a specified immigration enforcement policy.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 2019
Deferred Removal for Iraqi Nationals Including Minorities Act of 2019 This bill defers the removal of qualified Iraqi nationals from the United States for two years from the date of the bill's enactment. To qualify, an Iraqi national shall (1) have been ordered removed to Iraq before the date of the bill's enactment, and (2) have resided in the United States on or before January 1, 2014. Aliens under removal deferral under this bill (1) shall be authorized for employment, and (2) may not be detained for immigration status-related reasons or for a motion by the alien to reopen removal proceedings. An alien shall not receive removal deferral under this bill where (1) the Department of Homeland Security determines that the alien is directly responsible for specific and significant harm to U.S. security, (2) the alien voluntarily returns to Iraq, or (3) the alien is subject to extradition.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2019
Defending Elections against Trolls from Enemy Regimes Act or DETER Act This bill makes an alien inadmissible to the United States or deportable if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the alien seeks to enter the country to improperly interfere with a U.S. election, or has previously done so. Improper interference in a U.S. election is conduct by an alien that (1) violates federal criminal, voting rights, or campaign finance law, or is under the direction of a foreign government; and (2) interferes with any general or primary federal, state, or local election or caucus, including a candidate's campaign or a ballot measure.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2019
Humanitarian Upgrades to Manage and Assist our Nation's Enforcement Act of 2019 or the HUMANE Act of 2019 This bill modifies requirements relating to the detention of alien children and families, asylum seekers, and other immigration-related provisions. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall house detained alien children with a parent during the pendency of any civil or criminal proceedings if the children are accompanied by a parent. DHS shall ensure the facilities meet various standards, including those relating to accommodations and medical treatment. DHS shall expedite removal proceedings against alien children convicted of certain crimes. The bill also imposes requirements on placing unaccompanied alien children with a nongovernmental sponsor, such as requiring the sponsor to be the child's parent or legal guardian and legally present in the United States. The Department of Health of Human Services may make exceptions in certain instances, such as when a child is believed to be a human trafficking victim, and place such a child with another relative. The bill requires asylum applicants to arrive in the United States only at a designated port of arrival, where current law allows aliens to seek asylum whether or not they arrive at a designated port. DHS shall establish at least four regional processing centers to house and process detained aliens. U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall increase staffing, including field operations officers, support personnel, and attorneys. Aliens who overstay a nonimmigrant visa or under a visa waiver program more than 30 days shall be subject to detention and removal, and barred from obtaining various immigration benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2019
Waiver Accountability and Transparency Act This bill imposes requirements related to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) granting waivers to immigration detention facilities that do not meet certain standards. ICE shall publicly post within three days of submission each waiver request, request justification, assessment, final decision, and rationale for whether the waiver was granted or denied. ICE shall grade each waiver request from 1 to 3, with 3 being the most serious and including those with issues impacting due process, medical safety, and security. For grade 3 waivers, all parties involved, including ICE, must sign off on a corrective action plan, which shall include a timeline and plan to make the facility compliant with the relevant standards. A waiver may not be approved for longer than 90 days, and waivers may be reapproved every 90 days. After one year, any reapproval shall be approved by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE, and DHS and ICE shall jointly publish the justification for the reapproval. ICE shall periodically report to Congress and publicly post online financial penalties imposed on a facility. DHS shall periodically report to Congress and publicly post online an analysis of sample of cases where facility failed to meet a standard but DHS declined to impose a penalty. The Government Accountability Office shall periodically conduct a study on the waiver process and the ability of DHS to hold contractors accountable.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2019
Humanitarian Upgrades to Manage and Assist our Nation's Enforcement Act of 2019 or the HUMANE Act of 2019 This bill modifies requirements relating to the detention of alien children and families, asylum seekers, and other immigration-related provisions. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall house detained alien children with a parent during the pendency of any civil or criminal proceedings if the children are accompanied by a parent. DHS shall ensure the facilities meet various standards, including those relating to accommodations and medical treatment. DHS shall expedite removal proceedings against alien children convicted of certain crimes. The bill also imposes requirements on placing unaccompanied alien children with a nongovernmental sponsor, such as requiring the sponsor to be the child's parent or legal guardian and legally present in the United States. The Department of Health of Human Services may make exceptions in certain instances, such as when a child is believed to be a human trafficking victim, and place such a child with another relative. The bill requires asylum applicants to arrive in the United States only at a designated port of arrival, where current law allows aliens to seek asylum whether or not they arrive at a designated port. DHS shall establish at least four regional processing centers to house and process detained aliens. U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall increase staffing, including field operations officers, support personnel, and attorneys. Aliens who overstay a nonimmigrant visa or under a visa waiver program more than 30 days shall be subject to detention and removal, and barred from obtaining various immigration benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2019
Protecting Immigrants From Legal Exploitation Act of 2019 This bill establishes that certain acts of immigration-related fraud shall be punished by fines, imprisonment, or both. The bill provides for such punishment for a person who knowingly or recklessly executes a scheme or artifice in a matter arising under immigration law to (1) defraud any person; or (2) obtain anything of value from any person through false pretenses, representations, or promises. A person who knowingly and falsely represents that such person is an attorney or accredited representative in any matter arising under immigration law shall be subject to such punishment. The Department of Justice (DOJ) may seek civil injunctions to stop an immigration service provider from further engaging in fraudulent conduct or willfully misrepresenting the provider's authority to provide representation in immigration matters. An alien who left the United States based on erroneous advice from a person engaged in immigration practitioner fraud or the unauthorized practice of law shall not be barred from reentering the country. An alien may withdraw an application for immigration benefits that was prepared or submitted by an individual engaging in immigration practitioner fraud or the unauthorized practice of law, if the alien had no prior knowledge of the individual's fraudulent or unauthorized status. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of State, and DOJ shall develop procedures for allowing such an alien to submit corrected filings. DHS and DOJ shall establish a program to provide grants to eligible nonprofit organizations to provide direct legal services to aliens.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2019
Duty to Report Act This bill requires political committees, candidates for federal office, and other individuals to report to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) any offers of prohibited contributions, including offers of nonpublic information regarding other candidates, by foreign nationals. Specifically, political committees and candidates must report to the FEC within 24 hours any (1) offers of prohibited contributions from foreign nationals, and (2) meetings with foreign governments or their agents. In addition, the bill requires political committees, candidates, immediate family members of candidates, and individuals affiliated with a campaign (e.g., employees and independent contractors) to report to the FBI within 24 hours any offers of prohibited contributions from foreign nationals. Further, the bill establishes a new criminal offense for knowingly and willfully failing to comply with this reporting requirement. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to two years, or both. Such reported information may not be used to enforce certain immigration provisions related to the removal of undocumented aliens.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2019
This bill expands the E-3 visa program to cover Irish nationals. The E-3 visa is a nonimmigrant visa currently only available to Australian nationals coming to the United States for employment in a specialty occupation.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2019
Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish standards for facilities holding aliens in its custody, phases out using non-DHS facilities for such purposes, and contains other related provisions. The standards shall comply with the American Bar Association's Civil Immigration Detention Standards. The DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) shall conduct periodic unannounced inspections of each facility and shall take various actions against noncompliant facilities, including imposing fines, cancelling contracts, and closing facilities. DHS shall report to Congress any death of an alien in its custody within 24 hours and conduct an investigation within 30 days that identifies policy changes that could reduce the likelihood of such a death. DHS is prohibited from entering into contracts for third parties to operate detention facilities and shall terminate existing contracts within three years of the bill's enactment. The bill establishes that OIG facility inspection reports and contracts for an outside entity to operate a detention facility are records available to the public under the Freedom of Information Act. DHS shall maintain certain information relating to detained aliens, including the alien's location and whether the alien was separated from family. The bill provides for various requirements and procedures related to detaining aliens, including (1) prohibiting DHS from detaining children, (2) imposing a presumption that an alien should be released, and (3) establishing that aliens in custody shall be subject to the least restrictive conditions. The bill also abolishes mandatory detention for asylum seekers.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2019
Nicaragua TPS Act of 2019 This bill establishes that Nicaragua shall be treated as a designated temporary protected status (TPS) country for 18 months from the enactment of this bill. (TPS is available to nationals of certain designated countries, and such aliens shall have work authorization and not be removed from the United States while the status is in effect.) A Nicaraguan national shall be eligible for such status under this bill if the individual has been continuously physically present in the United States since the bill's enactment, meets the admissibility standards generally applicable to TPS aliens, and registers for such status with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS shall grant a TPS alien prior consent to temporarily travel abroad for emergency and extenuating consequences beyond the alien's control, and the alien shall retain such status upon return.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2019
This resolution recognizes the accomplishments and significant contributions of Vietnamese Americans in the United States.