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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 541 (116th)

Keep Families Together Act

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

14 January 2019

Last action

25 February 2019 · Referred

Status

Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

Sponsors

Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12], Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36], Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19], Rep. Aguilar, Pete [D-CA-33], Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44], Rep. Bass, Karen [D-CA-37], Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3], Rep. Bera, Ami [D-CA-6], Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8], Rep. Bishop, Sanford D. [D-GA-2], Rep. Blumenauer, Earl [D-OR-3], Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Boyle, Brendan F. [D-PA-2], Rep. Brown, Anthony G. [D-MD-4], Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26], Rep. Bustos, Cheri [D-IL-17], Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24], Rep. Cárdenas, Tony [D-CA-29], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Cartwright, Matt [D-PA-17], Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14], Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20], Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28], Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1], Rep. Cisneros, Gilbert Ray [D-CA-31], Rep. Clark, Katherine M. [D-MA-5], Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9], Rep. Clay, Wm. Lacy [D-MO-1], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11], Rep. Cooper, Jim [D-TN-5], Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46], Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21], Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2], Rep. Cox, TJ [D-CA-21], Rep. Crist, Charlie [D-FL-13], Rep. Crow, Jason [D-CO-6], Rep. Cummings, Elijah E. [D-MD-7], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. Davis, Susan A. [D-CA-53], Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4], Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4], Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1], Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3], Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1]

Subjects

Asylum, Immigration

Source updated

7 April 2025

Asylum · Immigration

Official sourceDownload fileView documentsShare

Summary

Keep Families Together Act This bill limits the separation of families at or near U.S borders or ports of entry and imposes limits on the prosecution of asylum seekers. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Justice (DOJ), and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall not separate a child from a legal guardian at a port of entry or within 100 miles of a U.S. border unless a state court terminates the legal guardian's rights; a state child welfare agency or court determines it is in the child's best interests to be removed; or the child is determined to be a trafficking victim or at risk of becoming one, the accompanying adult is most likely not the legal guardian, or the child is in danger of abuse or neglect. Such separation shall end unless a licensed independent child welfare expert authorizes the separation within 48 hours. DHS, DOJ, or HHS may not separate a child from a legal guardian solely to deter migration into the United States or to promote compliance with immigration laws. DHS shall develop (1) training related to the bill's family separation requirements, and (2) guidance for how legal guardians may locate a separated child. HHS shall provide legal guardians weekly status updates about a separated child. An asylum seeker who has expressed a credible or reasonable fear of persecution may not be prosecuted for certain immigration law violations until the asylum application has been finally adjudicated.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 14 January 2019

    Introduced

    Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 14 January 2019

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 14 January 2019

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 4 February 2019

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security, Facilitation, and Operations.

    Source: Committee

  5. 25 February 2019

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

    Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Documents

3 official files

Introduced in House (text)

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  • Introduced in House (text)

    Introduced in House · EN · 14 January 2019

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  • Introduced in House (PDF)

    Introduced in House · EN · 14 January 2019

    ViewDownloadOpen at official source

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  • Introduced in House

    summary · EN · 14 January 2019

    Open at official source

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Sponsors

Showing 48 of 205 sponsors and actors.

Related records

Sources

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