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Bill· SS. 422 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2023
Build the Wall Now Act This bill resumes the construction of, and modifies the requirements for, a physical barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border. Specifically, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must, within one day of the bill's enactment, resume any project related to the construction of such barriers (and any related infrastructure), and DHS may not cancel any contracts related to such construction that were entered into on or before January 20, 2021. Additionally, funds already appropriated for such construction must remain available until expended. The bill also modifies the requirements for the physical barriers along the southern border and requires DHS to consult with the labor organization representing border patrol agents about the safety and effectiveness of the agents deployed in the vicinity of the barriers. Finally, the bill exempts these construction projects from certain legal requirements, including requirements stemming from the Administrative Procedure Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the federal laws regarding public contracts.
Bill· HRH.R. 943 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
It's Your Fault Act This bill increases from 5 to 15 years the time period that a non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) who is a spouse or child of an illicit trafficker of a controlled substance, and who benefitted from such illicit activity, is ineligible for a visa or admission into the United States.
Bill· HRH.R. 921 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
No Asylum for Criminals Act of 2023 This bill bars an individual who has been convicted of a crime from receiving asylum, with limited exceptions. Specifically, the Department of Homeland Security may designate political offenses committed outside of the United States that shall not be considered a crime for this purpose. Currently, an individual shall be barred from receiving asylum for only certain types of criminal convictions, such as if the individual is convicted for (1) an aggravated felony, or (2) a particularly serious crime and as a result deemed a danger to the United States.
Bill· SS. 365 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Dream Act of 2023 This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to cancel removal and grant lawful permanent resident status on a conditional basis to certain non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) who initially entered the United States as minors (younger than 18 years of age). Specifically, DHS must do so for such an individual who (1) is inadmissible, is deportable, or has temporary protected status; (2) has been continuously physically present in the United States for four years preceding this bill's enactment; (3) is not inadmissible on various grounds such as those related to crime or security; and (4) has fulfilled specified educational requirements. DHS must also do so for an individual who was granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status unless the individual has engaged in conduct that would make the individual ineligible for DACA. DHS shall remove the conditional basis of the lawful permanent resident status granted under this bill if the individual meets various requirements, such as (1) maintaining residence in the United States, and (2) acquiring a degree from an institution of higher education or serving in the uniformed services. DHS may not disclose or use information provided in applications filed under this bill or in DACA requests for immigration enforcement purposes. The bill also repeals a restriction barring states from providing higher education benefits to undocumented aliens unless those benefits are available to all U.S. citizens.
Bill· SS. 370 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Protecting America From Spies Act This bill expands the grounds for barring non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) who have engaged in acts of espionage or sabotage from entering the United States. Specifically, any individual shall be inadmissible if the individual has engaged in or will engage in an act that (1) violates a U.S. law relating to espionage or sabotage; (2) would violate any U.S. law relating to espionage or sabotage if it occurred in the United States; or (3) violates any U.S. law prohibiting the export of goods, technology, or sensitive information. Currently, an individual is inadmissible if the individual seeks to enter the United States to engage in such an action. Furthermore, the bill expands these grounds of inadmissibility and other security-related grounds to cover the spouse or child of the barred individual if the act occurred in the last five years. The bill also modifies the authority of the Department of Justice to waive certain security-related grounds of inadmissibility for an individual applying for a nonimmigrant visa.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 45 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
This resolution expresses the sense that the current influx of migrants at the southern land border constitutes a crisis.
Bill· SS. 348 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Asylum Abuse Reduction Act This bill places restrictions on non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) seeking asylum and contains provisions related to immigration enforcement. Under this bill, an asylum seeker who arrives at a U.S. land port of entry without entry documents may not be admitted unless an asylum officer at a U.S. embassy or consulate has interviewed the individual and has concluded that the individual (1) has been persecuted in the alien's country of nationality due to their race, religion, or other characteristics; (2) has a credible fear of persecution if they returned to that country; or (3) would be tortured by the government upon return to that country. (Currently, an individual arriving at a port of entry may apply for asylum and an immigration officer there typically will conduct a credible fear interview.) Furthermore, an individual who traveled through a third country to enter the United States through the southern border shall be ineligible for asylum unless (1) the individual has applied for and been denied asylum or protection in that third country, (2) the individual was a victim of severe human trafficking, or (3) the third country is not party to certain international agreements relating to refugees. Each federal judicial district shall appoint at least one judge to issue arrest warrants for individuals violating orders to depart, upon a showing of probable cause. Under this bill, the Flores agreement (a lawsuit settlement which imposes various requirements relating to the treatment of minors detained for immigration-related purposes) shall not apply.
Bill· SS. 374 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Transnational Criminal Organization Illicit Spotter Prevention and Elimination Act This bill provides for criminal penalties for certain conduct that interferes with U.S. border control measures. Specifically, a person who knowingly transmits the location or activities of law enforcement with the intent to further a crime related to immigration, customs, or controlled substances may be imprisoned for a maximum of 10 years. A person who knowingly damages or destroys a device deployed to control the border or port of entry may be imprisoned for a maximum of 10 years. Additionally, the bill provides for enhanced punishment for carrying or using a firearm in connection with certain criminal immigration violations such as assisting a non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) who is inadmissible due to a felony conviction.
Bill· SS. 332 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
WALL Act of 2023 This bill appropriates $25 billion for the construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border and addresses other issues related to immigration. As offsets to this spending, the bill restricts the child tax credit, earned income credits, and lifetime learning credits to those with Social Security numbers and not prohibited from employment in the United States. Also, individuals who file taxes using an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) instead of a Social Security number must pay a fee ($300 for each individual on the tax return using an ITIN). The bill restricts eligibility for certain federally-funded benefits, including unemployment compensation, supplemental nutrition assistance, and housing benefits, to those eligible to work in the United States. Agencies administering such benefits must use the E-Verify program to confirm the eligibility of applicants for such benefits. This bill also sets fines for non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) who improperly enter the United States or overstay their visas.
Bill· SS. 342 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Access to Counsel Act of 2023 This bill provides various protections for covered individuals subject to secondary or deferred inspections when seeking admission into the United States. Covered individuals include U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) in possession of a visa, returning asylees, and refugees. The Department of Homeland Security must ensure that a covered individual subject to secondary or deferred inspection has a meaningful opportunity to consult with counsel and certain related parties, such as a relative, within an hour of the start of the secondary inspection and as necessary during the inspection process. The counsel and related party must be allowed to advocate on behalf of the covered individual, including by providing evidence and information to the examining immigration officer. A lawful permanent resident subject to secondary or deferred inspection may not abandon lawful permanent resident status until the individual has had a meaningful opportunity to seek advice from counsel, unless the individual voluntarily and knowingly waives in writing this opportunity to seek counsel's advice.
Bill· SS. 333 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Keep Our Communities Safe Act of 2023 This bill revises provisions related to the authority of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law). DHS may detain an individual pending a removal decision for any length of time until the individual is subject to a final removal order. DHS must detain certain individuals, such as those convicted of an aggravated felony, beyond certain time limits for immigration-related detention. The authority of the Department of Justice to review DHS custody decisions concerning an individual awaiting a removal decision shall be limited to whether the individual may be detained, released on bond, or released with no bond. DHS may release such an individual on bond only if the individual is not a flight risk or risk to the community. For an individual subject to a removal order, DHS may extend the 90-day removal period (generally the window in which DHS has to remove an individual after a final order of removal) in certain instances, such as when removal is stayed during an appeal. DHS may continue to detain an individual beyond the removal period and any removal period extensions. DHS must periodically certify a justification for detaining an individual beyond the removal period. DHS must establish a detention review process for individuals who (1) have made all reasonable efforts to comply with a removal order, and (2) are not subject to mandatory detention. DHS shall use this process to determine whether such an individual should be detained or released with conditions.
Bill· SS. 381 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
No Coyote Cash Act This bill makes it a crime to transmit money or any item of value with the intent to finance the unlawful entry of a non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) into the United States. Violators are subject to a fine equal to the value of the transmitted property, up to one year in prison, or both. Additionally, the bill makes a non-U.S. national who violates this prohibition inadmissible and deportable. Current law criminalizes certain conduct related to bringing a non-U.S. national into the United States and transporting, harboring, concealing, or shielding such an individual within the United States from detection by immigration authorities while knowing or in reckless disregard that the individual entered unlawfully.
Bill· SS. 387 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Canadian Snowbirds Act of 2023 This bill establishes a nonimmigrant visa for qualified Canadian citizens. The Department of Homeland Security may admit as a visitor a Canadian citizen who (1) is at least 50 years old, (2) maintains a residence in Canada, (3) owns a U.S. residence or has signed a rental agreement for the duration of the stay, (4) is not inadmissible or deportable under various provisions, (5) will not engage in U.S. employment except for services for the visitor's employer in Canada, and (6) will not seek U.S. assistance or benefits. Such visitors may be admitted for up to 240 days out of any single 365-day period.
Bill· HRH.R. 876 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2023
Border Crisis Prevention Act of 2023 This bill imposes additional requirements on asylum seekers, increases certain time limits related to detained non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law), and addresses other immigration-related issues. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must detain certain aliens, such as an individual convicted of an aggravated felony or believed to be a trafficker of controlled substances, beyond certain time limits for immigration-related detention. The bill also provides for additional instances when DHS may extend the 90-day removal period (generally the window in which DHS has to remove an alien after a final order of removal). An alien choosing to appeal mandatory detention or detention as part of a removal period extension may do so only by filing for a writ of habeas corpus. DHS must establish a process to determine whether an alien not subject to mandatory detention and who has tried to comply with a removal order should be detained or released with conditions. Furthermore, under this bill, an asylum applicant's credible fear of persecution must be more probable than not in order to be eligible for asylum. DHS may also deny asylum to an applicant and remove the applicant to a country that is not the applicant's country of nationality, if the applicant would be safe and able to apply for asylum from that country. (Currently, an asylum applicant may be removed to a third country only if that country is party to an agreement allowing for such removal.) The Department of Justice may appoint 100 additional immigration judges.
Bill· HRH.R. 864 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2023
Securing Guam's Shores Reimbursement Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to make grants to Guam for expenses related to security measures associated with non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) unlawfully entering the territory through the shores. Additionally, no grant may be used to reimburse nonprofit organizations, fund legal representation, or provide educational, housing, food, or health care resources to non-U.S. nationals who unlawfully entered the territory.
Bill· SS. 276 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2023
Upholding the Law at Our Border Act This bill requires the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to periodically investigate and report on immigration-related issues until there have been fewer than 35,000 apprehensions at the southwest border for three consecutive months. When required, the reports must address certain issues, including (1) the vetting procedures applicable to non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) seeking entry into the United States who were apprehended along the southwest border, (2) the total number of individuals unlawfully present who have been processed and released into the United States, (3) the number of such individuals who have received parole, and (4) an audit of the parole applications. The office must submit such reports (and provide briefings on the reports) to the President, Congress, DHS, and the Department of Justice.
Bill· HRH.R. 801 (118th)open
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
Securing the Border for Public Health Act of 2023 This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to restrict migration and imports from foreign countries to prevent the introduction of illicit drugs into the United States. Current law authorizes HHS to restrict migration and imports from foreign countries to prevent the introduction of communicable diseases. Under this bill, HHS may also restrict migration and imports from a country if HHS determines that introduction of certain controlled substances (e.g., opiates, stimulants, or fentanyl-related substances) from that country poses a risk to public health. HHS must consult with the Department of Justice in making the determination.
Bill· SS. 243 (118th)open
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
This bill directs U.S. Customs Border and Protection (CBP) to establish procedures for performing repairs and maintenance projects below a certain cost at certain federally owned ports of entry. Specifically, these procedures shall cover repair and maintenance projects at federally owned ports of entry that engage in certain activities, such as entry inspections and activities to prevent the entry of illicit drugs, agricultural pests, and contraband. The procedures shall cover projects that cost no more than $300,000, with this cap to be adjusted annually for inflation. CBP may perform such repair and maintenance projects in accordance with the procedures established under this bill.
Bill· HRH.R. 778 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
Terrorist Deportation Act of 2023 This bill establishes that non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) identified in the terrorist screening database, except for lawful permanent residents, shall be deportable and inadmissible into the United States. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may temporarily waive the inadmissibility of such an individual if it is in the national security interests of the United States. DHS shall grant such a waiver only with the unanimous concurrence of the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the Department of State. An individual identified in the terrorist screening database shall be ineligible for various immigration benefits, including asylum, withholding or cancellation of removal, voluntary departure, or adjustment of status. DHS shall determine on an expedited basis whether to remove an individual identified in the terrorist screening database, if the individual has not received a waiver and does not have lawful permanent residence status. The individual shall be entitled to various protections, including the right to be represented by counsel (at no cost to the government) and judicial review.
Bill· HRH.R. 780 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
Mobilizing Against Sanctuary Cities Act This bill imposes penalties on certain state and local governments that do not assist federal immigration enforcement actions. Specifically, a state or local government shall be ineligible for federal financial assistance for at least one year if it restricts or prohibits an agency or official from (1) communicating with the responsible federal immigration agency regarding an individual's citizenship or immigration status, or (2) maintaining or exchanging information about an individual's status. (Jurisdictions that take such actions are sometimes referred to as sanctuary cities or sanctuary jurisdictions .) The bill restores eligibility for federal assistance if the Department of Justice (DOJ) determines that the jurisdiction no longer takes such actions. DOJ shall determine each year which state or local jurisdictions are ineligible for federal assistance under this bill and report such determinations to Congress.
Bill· HRH.R. 777 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
Visa Overstay Enforcement Act of 2023 This bill imposes various penalties on non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) who overstay a visa or lawful immigration status. An individual who overstays shall be fined or imprisoned for up to six months, or both. Such an individual may not be admitted into the United States for 5 years, and may not be granted a visa for 10 years. For subsequent offenses, the individual shall be fined or imprisoned for up to two years, or both, and may not be admitted into the United States or granted a visa. The Department of Homeland Security shall make case-by-case exceptions for individuals who overstay due to medical necessity, public safety, or national security reasons.
Bill· SS. 255 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2023 This bill provides expedited work authorization to certain asylum applicants, specifically those who (1) entered the United States at a designated port of entry, or (2) have been continuously physically present in the United States since this bill's enactment. Such individuals, if they meet other requirements (e.g., are not in detention and have filed an application for work authorization), shall be eligible to receive work authorization 30 days after filing an asylum application. By contrast, other asylum applicants (e.g., an individual who entered the United States after this bill's enactment at a place other than a designated port of entry) must wait 180 days after filing an asylum application to be eligible for work authorization, as required under current law for all asylum applicants. Furthermore, asylum applicants who meet all the requirements to receive expedited authorization shall be entitled to work authorization. By contrast, other asylum applicants may, but are not entitled to, receive work authorization, as specified under current law for all asylum applicants.
Bill· HRH.R. 725 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2023
Reimbursing Border Communities Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to make grants to certain border communities for expenses related to security measures along the southern border. Specifically, the local government of a community is eligible for a grant if it is located within 200 miles of the border and is not a sanctuary jurisdiction as defined by the bill. Additionally, no grant may be used to reimburse nonprofit organizations, fund legal representation, or provide educational, housing, food, or health care resources to a non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law).
Bill· HRH.R. 717 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2023
Repatriate Our Patriots Act This bill protects certain veterans of the Armed Forces from removal from the United States and provides such veterans with an expedited procedure for naturalization. The bill applies to special veterans , defined as persons who served in the active Armed Forces who were (1) honorably discharged or released; (2) not convicted of various crimes, including voluntary manslaughter, murder, rape, or terrorism; and (3) not a child abuser or pedophile. Special veterans may not be removed from the United States, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must cancel any pending removal proceedings or orders against any such veterans. DHS must also establish a program to permit such veterans who were already removed from the United States to return to as lawful permanent residents. Special veterans shall be naturalized upon filing an application, paying the relevant fees, and taking an oath of allegiance. DHS must take steps to ensure such naturalization applications are pending for no longer than 90 days.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 89 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2023
This resolution impeaches Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas for high crimes and misdemeanors related to his actions regarding border security and immigration.
Bill· HRH.R. 712 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2023
State Border Security Reimbursement Act of 2023 This bill requires the federal government to reimburse eligible states for their border security expenses. To be eligible, a state must have expended more than $2.5 billion on border security and enforcement in the 10 years before this bill's enactment. If such a state provides by a certain deadline an accounting of all of its nonfederally funded border security expenses, the federal government must reimburse the full amount.
Bill· SS. 207 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2023
Temporary Protected Status Reform and Integrity Act This bill imposes additional requirements and restrictions relating to temporary protected status (TPS). (Generally, a country may be designated for TPS for a period of time due to certain conditions in that country, such as civil unrest. Eligible nationals of that country may receive work authorization and may not be removed from the United States.) Under this bill, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may extend a TPS designation once, but an act of Congress shall be required for subsequent extensions. Currently, congressional action is not required for extensions. Furthermore, DHS may not designate a country for TPS if that country's designation terminated in the last 18 months under certain conditions. Specifically, this prohibition applies if the earlier designation terminated because (1) DHS did not make a determination that the conditions justifying the initial designation continue to exist, or (2) DHS recommended granting a subsequent extension but Congress did not enact a law to authorize that extension. Similarly, if a country's TPS designation terminated under these conditions, DHS may not designate that country again based on the justification that supported the original designation. The bill also establishes additional restrictions on individuals seeking or receiving TPS protections, such as prohibiting an individual who entered the United States unlawfully from receiving TPS, further limiting the authority of DHS to waive certain grounds of inadmissibility for a TPS applicant, and imposing additional restrictions on TPS recipients traveling abroad for brief trips (i.e., an individual who travels under certain conditions loses TPS).
Bill· HRH.R. 661 (118th)open
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2023
Sarah's Law This bill requires U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain a non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) who is unlawfully present in the United States and has been charged with a crime that resulted in the death or serious bodily injury of another person. ICE must make reasonable efforts to obtain information about the identity of any victims of the crimes for which the detained individual was charged or convicted. ICE shall provide the victim, or a relative or guardian of a deceased victim, with information about the detained individual, including name, date of birth, nationality, immigration status, criminal history, and a description of any related removal efforts.
Bill· HRH.R. 672 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2023
Border Security Investment Act This bill imposes a fee on remittances sent to certain countries and provides funding for border security activities from the collected amounts. Specifically, the fee shall apply to remittances sent to one of the five countries that had the most citizens or nationals unlawfully enter the United States in the previous fiscal year, as determined by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The fee must be 37% of the amount sent. Half of the money collected by the fee must be placed in a trust fund for reimbursing border states for expenses incurred for border security enforcement measures. The other half must be placed in another trust fund for (1) deploying technology and installing physical barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border, and (2) paying the wages and salaries of U.S. Border Patrol agents. If the amount in the trust funds exceeds a certain threshold, the excess money must be used only for deficit reduction.
Bill· HRH.R. 666 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2023
Access to Counsel Act This bill provides various protections for covered individuals subject to secondary or deferred inspections when seeking admission into the United States. Covered individuals include U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) in possession of a visa, returning asylees, and refugees. The Department of Homeland Security must ensure that a covered individual subject to secondary or deferred inspection has a meaningful opportunity to consult with counsel and certain related parties, such as a relative, within an hour of the start of the secondary inspection and as necessary during the inspection process. The counsel and related party must be allowed to advocate on behalf of the covered individual, including by providing evidence and information to the examining immigration officer. A lawful permanent resident subject to secondary or deferred inspection may not abandon lawful permanent resident status until the individual has had a meaningful opportunity to seek advice from counsel, unless the individual voluntarily and knowingly waives in writing this opportunity to seek counsel's advice.
Bill· HRH.R. 688 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2023
Chinese Communist Party Visa Disclosure Act of 2023 or the CCP Visa Disclosure Act of 2023 This bill requires an applicant for an F, J, or M (student or exchange visitor) visa to disclose in the application certain information about whether the applicant has received or will receive funds from the Chinese government, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), or an entity controlled by either. If an individual receives such funds after receiving such a visa, the individual must inform the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State. Any visa issued to an individual who violates these disclosure requirements may be revoked.
Bill· SS. 156 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2023
Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act This bill expands the E-Verify program by requiring all employers to use it and permanently reauthorizes the program. Currently, E-Verify use is voluntary for most employers, although some states mandate its use. All employers must use E-Verify to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of all recruited, referred, or hired individuals, including current employees who were never verified under the program. Failure to use E-Verify shall create a rebuttable presumption that the employer is violating immigration law. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services must generate weekly reports about individuals who have received a final nonconfirmation of employment eligibility. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must use the report to enforce immigration laws. DHS must establish a program to help certain small businesses verify employee eligibility. DHS shall also update E-Verify's design to help prevent and detect fraud and identity theft. The bill increases civil and criminal penalties for hiring non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) who are not authorized to work. DHS must debar repeat offenders and those criminally convicted from holding federal contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements. The Social Security Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Department of the Treasury, and DHS must jointly establish a program to share information to help identify non-U.S. nationals who are not authorized to work. The bill establishes the Employer Compliance Inspection Center within Homeland Security Investigations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The center's duties include processing I-9 employment eligibility verification forms and ensuring compliance with employment eligibility laws. DHS must report to Congress on ways to simplify procedures relating to I-9 forms and on whether the I-9 process should be eliminated.
Bill· SS. 160 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2023
Sarah's Law This bill requires U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain a non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) who is unlawfully present in the United States and has been charged with a crime that resulted in the death or serious bodily injury of another person. ICE must make reasonable efforts to obtain information about the identity of any victims of the crimes for which the detained individual was charged or convicted. ICE shall provide the victim, or a relative or guardian of a deceased victim, with information about the detained individual, including name, date of birth, nationality, immigration status, criminal history, and a description of any related removal efforts.
Bill· HRH.R. 597 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2023
Stop the Cartels Act This bill addresses various issues including matters relating to immigration, law enforcement cooperation with Mexico, and drug cartels. The bill bars federal financial assistance for state or local jurisdictions that (1) restrict compliance with immigration detainers issued by the Department of Homeland Security, or (2) have any law or policy that violates immigration laws. Furthermore, under this bill, the detention of alien minors must be governed by specified sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act and not any judicial decree or settlement. (A 1997 settlement agreement imposes requirements related to the treatment of such minors, including limits on how long they may be detained under certain conditions.) The bill also makes various changes to asylum applications, including by (1) increasing the burden that an asylum applicant must meet to establish a credible fear of persecution, and (2) establishing refugee application and processing centers in Central America. In addition, certain Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development assistance may not be made available to Mexico's government until the State Department certifies that Mexico has removed certain barriers to law enforcement cooperation and intelligence sharing between the United States and Mexico. The bill also establishes the foreign Special Transnational Criminal Organization designation and establishes penalties related to designated organizations, such as making it a crime to knowingly provide material support to such an organization. The State Department must designate specified organizations, including the Sinaloa Cartel, with the designation, and may designate other organizations that fit criteria established in this bill.
Bill· HRH.R. 604 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2023
Make NEXUS Work Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to make video conferencing available for NEXUS enrollments and renewals. (The NEXUS program provides expedited border processing for prescreened travelers entering the United States and Canada.)
Bill· HRH.R. 588 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2023
Border Construction Materials Transfer Act of 2023 This bill requires the federal government to transfer, without reimbursement, materials purchased for the construction of roadways or barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border and located in the states of Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, or California to the governments of those states.
Bill· HRH.R. 614 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2023
Commercial Fishing and Seafood Business Act of 2023 This bill expands a provision that exempts certain H-2B visas (temporary nonagricultural laborers) from the annual cap of 66,000 on such visas. Under this bill, the exemption shall apply to H-2B visas issued for employment (1) on a commercial fishing vessel or shrimp trawler; or (2) in the processing of fish, baitfish, or fishery products. Currently, this exemption only applies to H-2B visas issued for certain employment related to the processing of fish roe.
Bill· HRH.R. 560 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2023
Northern Marianas Population Stabilization Act This bill provides Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Resident status to certain otherwise qualifying non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) who do not meet a current requirement of having resided continuously and lawfully in the Northern Mariana Islands from November 28, 2009, through June 25, 2019. Specifically, an individual shall be exempt from this residency requirement if the individual was admitted as a Commonwealth Only Transitional Worker during FY2015 and every subsequent fiscal year before July 24, 2018. To qualify for CNMI Resident status, the individual must meet other existing requirements related to such status. An individual who has resided in the Northern Mariana Islands as an investor and is currently residing as a Northern Mariana Islands-only nonimmigrant may receive CNMI Resident status upon meeting other requirements.
Bill· HRH.R. 575 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2023
Moving H-2A to United States Department of Agriculture Act of 2023 This bill moves administration of the H-2A (temporary agricultural workers) program from the Department of Labor to the Department of Agriculture.
Bill· SS. 126 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2023
Fortifying Lawful Elections and Democracy Accountability Act of 2023 or the FLED Accountability Act of 2023 This bill bars foreign government officials who knowingly undermined elections from entering the United States. Specifically, the prohibition applies to any non-U.S. citizen who, while serving as a government official of a foreign country, knowingly took significant action to inhibit (or attempt to inhibit) the lawful democratic transition of power or lawful functioning democratic processes in that foreign country. The Department of State may waive this prohibition if the waiver is in the national interest of the United States.
Bill· HRH.R. 489 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2023
Expedited Removal Codification Act of 2023 This bill provides statutory authority for a July 23, 2019, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) notice that expanded the classes of non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) who are subject to expedited removal (i.e., removal without further hearing or review). DHS published another notice on March 21, 2022 , rescinding the July 2019 notice. Thus, this bill in effect restores the expanded version of expedited removal under the July 2019 notice. The July 2019 notice expanded expedited removal to cover certain inadmissible non-U.S. nationals who were apprehended in any part of the United States and who have been in the United States for less than two years. By contrast, with the March 2022 rescission, expedited removal is generally limited to certain inadmissible non-U.S. nationals apprehended near or at a border.
Bill· HRH.R. 465 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2023
Protect U.S. Investments Act of 2023 This bill expands available protections for U.S. investors from certain prejudicial actions taken by foreign governments. It also expands sanctions for the expropriation (i.e., seizure) of U.S. investments. Currently, the President must suspend assistance to foreign governments that have taken certain prejudicial actions against U.S. investments (known as the Hickenlooper amendment), including those that have taken steps to repudiate or nullify existing contracts or agreements with U.S. nationals (citizens and corporations). This bill specifies that these steps may include failing to meet, confer, or engage in good faith consultations and negotiations with a U.S. national (through their duly authorized representative) within 30 days of being served with a written request for such a consultation or negotiation. Further, the bill provides a U.S. national with the right to petition the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission to render an advisory report to the President regarding the alleged treatment of the U.S. investment by the identified foreign country. If the commission fails to render a timely advisory report, the U.S. national may compel the suspension of assistance to that foreign country in any court of competent jurisdiction. The bill prohibits any foreign public official who materially assisted in a prejudicial action against U.S. investments from receiving immigration status, receiving a visa, or being admitted into the United States. Such an official must also be denied remittance by every financial institution located in the United States. These sanctions shall apply until the prejudicial action is rescinded, reversed, permanently enjoined, or fully remediated.
Bill· HRH.R. 469 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2023
Asylum Abuse Reduction Act This bill places restrictions on non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) seeking asylum and contains provisions related to immigration enforcement. Under this bill, an asylum seeker who arrives at a U.S. land port of entry without entry documents may not be admitted unless an asylum officer at a U.S. embassy or consulate has interviewed the individual and has concluded that the individual (1) has been persecuted in the alien's country of nationality due to their race, religion, or other characteristics; (2) has a credible fear of persecution if they returned to that country; or (3) would be tortured by the government upon return to that country. (Currently, an individual arriving at a port of entry may apply for asylum and an immigration officer there typically will conduct a credible fear interview.) Furthermore, an individual who traveled through a third country to enter the United States through the southern border shall be ineligible for asylum unless (1) the individual has applied for and been denied asylum or protection in that third country, (2) the individual was a victim of severe human trafficking, or (3) the third country is not party to certain international agreements relating to refugees. Each federal judicial district shall appoint at least one judge to issue arrest warrants for individuals violating orders to depart, upon a showing of probable cause. Under this bill, the Flores agreement (a lawsuit settlement which imposes various requirements relating to the treatment of minors detained for immigration-related purposes) shall not apply.
Bill· HRH.R. 402 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 January 2023
Protect Communities from a Porous Border Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to notify a state before placing a non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) in that state and gives the state final authority to prohibit such a placement. At least 10 business days before placing (e.g., detaining or housing) such an individual in a state, DHS must provide certain information to that state, including (1) the individual's biographic and biometric information, including DNA; and (2) a certification that the biometric and biographic information has been checked in various law enforcement and counterterrorism databases. No federal court shall have jurisdiction to review (1) the requirements and procedures established under this bill, or (2) a decision by a state to prohibit the placement of such an individual in the state. The bill also prohibits any federal official from waiving any of the bill's requirements.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 50 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 January 2023
This resolution declares that every state within the United States has the sovereign right to exclude any person who does not have the right to be there. It also declares that the states along the southern border (1) are being invaded by terrorists, narco-terrorist cartels, and criminal actors; and (2) have the sovereign and unilateral authority to defend themselves against such an invasion.
Bill· HRH.R. 367 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2023
Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act This bill makes non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) associated with criminal gangs inadmissible for entry into the United States and deportable. The bill also establishes procedures to designate groups with criminal gang status. An individual shall be inadmissible if a consular officer, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), or the Department of Justice knows or has reason to believe that the individual is or was a criminal gang member or has participated or aided such a group's illegal activities. An individual who is or was a member of such a gang, or has participated or aided such a group's illegal activities, shall be deportable. Such individuals must be subject to mandatory detention. Furthermore, such individuals shall not be eligible for (1) asylum; (2) temporary protected status; (3) special immigrant juvenile visas; or (4) parole, unless they are assisting the government in a law enforcement matter. The bill defines a criminal gang as a group of five or more persons (1) where one of its primary purposes is committing specified criminal offenses and its members have engaged in a continuing series of such offenses within the past five years, or (2) that has been designated as a criminal gang by DHS. The bill also establishes procedures for DHS to designate a group as a criminal gang, including notifying Congress, publishing a notice in the Federal Register, and providing an opportunity for the group to petition for administrative and judicial review of the designation.
Bill· HRH.R. 319 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2023
Legal Workforce Act This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to create an electronic employment eligibility confirmation system modeled after and to replace the E-Verify system, which allows employers and recruiters to verify the immigration status of individuals. The bill also mandates the use of such a system, where currently only some employers, such as those with federal contracts, are required to use E-Verify. The bill specifies documents that can establish an individual's identity and employment authorization. During the period starting when a job offer is made until three business days after hiring, the individual must attest to his or her employment authorization, and the employer or recruiter must attest that it has examined the individual's required documents. Employers shall reverify certain types of employees who were not previously verified using E-verify. The Social Security Administration shall notify employees if their Social Security number has been used multiple times in an unusual manner. DHS shall establish programs for blocking and suspending misused numbers. Employers that are required to use the verification system shall not be liable for any employment-related action based on a good-faith reliance on the information from the system. The bill establishes a phased-in participation deadline for different categories of employers, including agricultural employers. The bill increases civil penalties related to hiring individuals without work authorization. It also preempts state laws relating to hiring and employment eligibility verification, but states may use their authority of business licensing to penalize employers for failing to comply with the bill's provisions.
Bill· HRH.R. 336 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2023
Finish the Wall Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to resume activities related to the construction of a barrier system along the U.S.-Mexico border and addresses other border-related issues. DHS must resume all such construction activities that were planned or underway prior to January 20, 2021. DHS must also expend all funds appropriated or explicitly obligated since October 1, 2016, for construction of this barrier system. DHS may not cancel contracts for activities related to such construction entered into on or before January 20, 2021. Furthermore, within 14 days of this bill's enactment, DHS must certify to Congress that U.S. Customs and Border Protection facilities that process adults taken into custody at the border are fully compliant with certain laws related to the collection of DNA. (Among other things, these laws allow for the collection of DNA samples from non-U.S. persons detained under U.S. authority.)
Bill· HRH.R. 334 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2023
Significant Transnational Criminal Organization Designation Act This bill makes membership in a significant transnational criminal organization a ground for inadmissibility into the United States and provides for criminal penalties against those that provide material support to such an organization. The bar against admission applies to a non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) who is a member of such an organization and such an individual's non-U.S. national spouse or child. The bar shall not apply to a spouse or child who (1) did not know, or should not reasonably have known, that the individual was a member of such an organization; or (2) has renounced the organization in question. The bill establishes statutory authority and procedures for the Department of Justice to designate an organization a significant transnational criminal organization. The Department of the Treasury may require U.S. financial institutions to block transactions involving assets belonging to such an organization. An individual who knowingly provides material support or resources to a significant transnational criminal organization (or attempts or conspires to do so) shall be fined, imprisoned for up to 20 years, or both. If the death of any person is the result, the offending individual may be imprisoned for any term of years or for life. A financial institution that becomes aware that it possesses or controls funds belonging to such an organization shall retain such funds and notify Treasury.
Bill· HRH.R. 230 (118th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2023
This bill directs the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous award of a Congressional Gold Medal to President Lyndon B. Johnson in recognition of his contributions to the nation. The bill requires such medal to be given to the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum following its award, where it will be available for display and research.