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H.R. 61

Ensuring United Families at the Border Act

In Plain Language

This bill removes the legal requirement to release immigrant children from detention after a certain time, allowing them to be held longer. It requires the government to keep parents and children detained together when adults enter the country illegally with their kids, even if it's a first-time misdemeanor offense. The bill also prevents states from setting their own rules for how immigration detention facilities that hold children must be run.

Official Congressional Research Service summary

Ensuring United Families at the Border ActThis bill addresses the treatment of children who are non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law), including by statutorily establishing that there is no presumption that such a child (other than an unaccompanied child) should not be detained for immigration purposes.Specifically, the bill states that the detention of such minors shall be governed by specified sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act and not any other provision of law, judicial ruling, or settlement agreement.(A 1997 settlement agreement, commonly known as the Flores agreement, imposes requirements relating to the treatment of detained alien minors, including requiring such minors to be released or placed in a nonsecure facility after a certain amount of time in detention.)If an adult enters the United States unlawfully with their child, the Department of Homeland Security must detain the adult and child together if the only criminal charge against the adult is a misdemeanor for unlawful entry.This bill also prohibits states from imposing licensing requirements on immigration detention facilities used to detain minors or families with minors.

Sponsor

Rep. Biggs, Andy [R-AZ-5]

Cosponsors

Rep. Burlison, Eric [R-MO-7]
Rep. Crane, Elijah [R-AZ-2]
Rep. Nehls, Troy E. [R-TX-22]

Latest action

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Jan 3, 2025

Official source

View on Congress.gov ↗

Action history

Jan 3, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

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