Tagged: border security and unlawful immigration

Congressional Border Security Assessment ActThis bill grants Members of Congress and their accompanying staff lawful access to Indian reservations for the purpose of assessing national security, public safety, and the security of the border. Specifically, the bill applies to an Indian reservation that includes 50 or more contiguous miles of the U.S.-Mexico border. 

Stopping Border Surges Act This bill modifies immigration law provisions relating to unaccompanied alien minors and to asylum seekers.The bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to repatriate certain unaccompanied, inadmissible alien children, generally those not at risk of being trafficking victims nor having a fear of persecution. Currently, only inadmissible unaccompanied aliens from neighboring countries are subject to repatriation, and DHS has discretion whether to repatriate.When the Department of Health and Human Services releases an unaccompanied child to an individual, it shall provide DHS with certain information about that individual, including Social Security number and immigration status.The bill requires a stricter standard to find a credible fear of persecution and imposes additional rules on credible fear interviews.If an alien is granted asylum because of fear of persecution in a country, the alien shall be deemed to have renounced asylum status by returning to that country, if there has been no change in the country's conditions.The bill also (1) expands the definition of what constitutes a frivolous asylum application, (2) imposes additional limitations on eligibility for asylum, (3) shortens the deadline for applying for asylum, and (4) extends the time period an alien seeking asylum must wait before receiving employment authorization.Any individual who knowingly and willfully makes materially false statements or uses fraudulent documents in asylum-related proceedings shall be fined or imprisoned up to 10 years, or both.

Protecting our Communities from Sexual Predators ActThis bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to detain certain non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) who have been arrested for sexual assault. The bill also provides for the inadmissibility and deportability of certain individuals convicted of sexual assault.Under this bill, the DOJ must detain an individual who (1) is unlawfully present in the United States, made certain misrepresentations, or did not possess the necessary documents when applying for admission; and (2) has been charged with, arrested for, convicted of, or admits to having committed acts which constitute the essential elements of, an offense involving sexual assault.The bill also establishes under statute that a conviction for certain crimes related to sexual assault shall be grounds for (1) barring an individual from entering the United States, and (2) deportability. (Under current law, convictions for certain crimes, including crimes involving moral turpitude, are grounds for inadmissibility and deportability.) 

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.)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Relocation Act or the CBP Relocation ActThis bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to relocate the headquarters of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (including the functions, personnel, and real assets of the headquarters) to Texas no later than January 1, 2026.

Laken Riley ActThis bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain certain non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) who have been arrested for burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting. The bill also authorizes states to sue the federal government for decisions or alleged failures related to immigration enforcement.Under this bill, DHS must detain an individual who (1) is unlawfully present in the United States or did not possess the necessary documents when applying for admission; and (2) has been charged with, arrested for, convicted of, or admits to having committed acts that constitute the essential elements of burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting.The bill also authorizes state governments to sue for injunctive relief over certain immigration-related decisions or alleged failures by the federal government if the decision or failure caused the state or its residents harm, including financial harm of more than $100. Specifically, the state government may sue the federal government over adecision to release a non-U.S. national from custody;failure to fulfill requirements relating to inspecting individuals seeking admission into the United States, including requirements related to asylum interviews;failure to fulfill a requirement to stop issuing visas to nationals of a country that unreasonably denies or delays acceptance of nationals of that country;violation of limitations on immigration parole, such as the requirement that parole be granted only on a case-by-case basis; orfailure to detain an individual who has been ordered removed from the United States.

Protect Our Law enforcement with Immigration Control and Enforcement Act of 2025 or the POLICE Act of 2025This bill makes assaulting a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or other first responder a deportable offense.Specifically, the bill makes deportable any non-U.S. national (alien under federal law) who has been convicted of (or admits to have committed) any act that constitutes the essential elements of any offense involving assault of a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or other first responder.The Department of Homeland Security must publish annually on its website a report on the number of individuals deported in the previous year pursuant to this bill.

Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety ActThis bill establishes new federal criminal offenses for operating a motor vehicle within 100 miles of the U.S. border while fleeing from a U.S. Border Patrol agent or a federal, state, or local law enforcement officer who is actively assisting or under the command of the U.S. Border Patrol.The bill establishes criminal penalties for an offense, including a mandatory minimum prison term for an offense resulting in death or serious bodily injury. Additionally, a non-U.S. national who is convicted of or admits to committing an offense is inadmissible, deportable, and ineligible for immigration relief (including asylum).

Victims Of Immigration Crime Engagement Restoration Act or the VOICE Restoration Act This bill establishes the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The office shall provide assistance to victims of crimes committed by non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) who are present in the United States without lawful immigration status.

Voter Integrity Protection Act This bill imposes additional immigration-related penalties for non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) who vote in an election for federal office. It shall be an aggravated felony for a non-U.S. national who is unlawfully present to violate an existing prohibition against a non-U.S. national voting in a federal election. (An aggravated felony conviction carries various immigration consequences, such as rendering the non-U.S. national inadmissible, deportable, and barred from establishing good moral character for naturalization.) A non-U.S. national who is unlawfully present and who knowingly violates the prohibition against voting in a federal election shall be deportable.

Grant's LawThis bill requires the Department of Justice to detain a non-U.S. national (alien under federal law) found to be unlawfully present in the United States and arrested for various crimes that would render the individual deportable or inadmissible.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may release the individual to an appropriate authority for proceedings related to the arrest, but DHS must resume custody for any period that the individual is not in such authority's custody.If the individual is not convicted of crimes for which the individual was arrested, DHS must continue to detain the individual until removal proceedings are completed. DHS must complete such removal proceedings within 90 days.

Fund and Complete the Border Wall ActThis bill establishes funding for a U.S.-Mexico border barrier and revises how border patrol agents are compensated for overtime.The Department of the Treasury shall set up an account for funding the design, construction, and maintenance of the barrier. The funds in the account are appropriated only for that purpose and for vehicles and equipment for border patrol agents.For each fiscal year, financial assistance to a country shall be reduced by $2,000 for each citizen or national of that country apprehended for illegally entering the United States through its southern border. The reduced amount shall be transferred to the border barrier account. The Department of State may opt not to reduce amounts appropriated to Mexico for various military and law enforcement-related activities.This bill establishes a 5% fee on foreign remittance transfers and increases the fee for the arrival/departure I-94 form for various aliens entering the United States, with part of the fees going to the border barrier account.By December 31, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security shall (1) take all actions necessary, including constructing barriers, to prevent illegal crossings along the U.S.-Mexico barrier; and (2) achieve operational control over all U.S. international borders.The bill changes how border patrol agents receive overtime pay when working up to 100 hours in a two-week period. For hours worked above 80, an agent shall receive at least 150% of the agent's regular hourly rate.