Families Belong Together Act

Summary

Families Belong Together Act This bill provides various immigration benefits for eligible alien parents (or legal guardians) and minor children who were separated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) between January 20, 2017, and January 20, 2021. Generally, to be an eligible parent or minor child under this bill, the alien must not be inadmissible for certain crime- or security-related grounds, though DHS may waive certain grounds for humanitarian or public interest reasons. Furthermore, an eligible child who was separated as a minor remains eligible for the immigration benefits after reaching majority. DHS must grant humanitarian parole into the United States to an eligible alien who requests such parole, regardless of whether the alien is physically present in the United States. An eligible alien in the United States may apply for lawful permanent resident status. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services shall grant a qualifying alien's lawful permanent resident status within 30 days of receiving the alien's application. An alien who receives lawful permanent resident status under this bill shall be eligible for benefits and services that are available to an alien who is admitted as a refugee. Certain annual numerical limitations shall not apply to aliens who receive lawful permanent resident status under this bill. If an alien seeks judicial review of a denial of an application for lawful permanent resident status under this bill, the Department of Justice shall appoint counsel to represent that alien upon request.

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Timeline

1. 27 April 2021

   Introduced

   Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 27 April 2021

   Introduced

   Introduced in Senate

   Source: IntroReferral

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

• Introduced in Senate · 27 April 2021 · Official file

Documents

3 official files

• Introduced in Senate (text)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 27 April 2021

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in Senate (PDF)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 27 April 2021

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 27 April 2021

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Richard Blumenthal · D · Sponsor
• Jeff Merkley · D · Sponsor
• Edward Markey · D · Sponsor
• Elizabeth Warren · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] · D · Sponsor
• Kirsten Gillibrand · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] · D · Sponsor
• Bernie Sanders · I · Sponsor
• Rep. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD-3] · D · Sponsor
• Ron Wyden · D · Sponsor
• Chris Van Hollen · D · Sponsor
• · ssju00 · Standing

Related records

• related to ← Families Belong Together Act