Tagged: fraud offenses and financial crimes

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.

FinCEN Oversight and Accountability Act of 2025This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to keep specified congressional committees informed of the activity of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), particularly regarding unlawful activity and any resulting corrective action.Further, Treasury must disclose to Congress and to the public (with some exclusions) all controlling documents delegating authority to or providing direction to FinCEN. Such disclosure includes any controlling documents in force upon enactment, any controlling documents issued thereafter, and any changes to controlling documents.The bill extends for an additional five years the time period during which Treasury must testify before Congress regarding FinCEN’s anti-money laundering programs.FinCEN must also hold an annual small business working group to provide guidance on beneficial ownership reporting obligations. 

Restoring Faith in Elections ActThis bill establishes certain standards for voting, including voting by mail, in federal elections. It also establishes certain requirements for voter registration and maintenance of official lists of eligible voters.First, the bill establishes certain requirements for voting by mail in federal elections, including by requiring mail-in ballots to be received by the time the polls close on election day.Additionally, the bill makes it unlawful to possess or return a mail-in ballot completed by another person (commonly referred to as ballot harvesting), with exceptions. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to one year, or both.Further, the bill establishes certain requirements for reporting results of federal elections, including by requiring states to count all eligible ballots within 24 hours after the election.Next, the bill provides for the automatic registration of eligible voters. The Election Assistance Commission must make grants to states to implement these automatic voter registration programs.It also requires states and jurisdictions to use standards that apply equally to all methods of voting used in federal elections, including standards related to signature verification.Finally, the bill establishes the National Deconfliction Voting Database and Clearinghouse to serve as a database and clearinghouse for voter registration records and lists of eligible voters. Additionally, each state must certify that it has removed ineligible voters from the official list of eligible voters prior to the federal election.

FairTax Act of 2025This bill replaces federal income, payroll, estate, and gift taxes with a federal sales tax beginning in 2027 and eliminates the Internal Revenue Service.The bill establishes a 23% tax-inclusive (30% tax-exclusive) federal sales tax rate on taxable property and services to be administered primarily by each state. The federal sales tax rate is adjusted annually beginning in 2028 so that it is the sum of the general revenue rate (14.91%);old-age, survivors and disability insurance rate; andhospital insurance rate. The bill includes exemptions for property or services purchased for business, investment, and certain state government functions.Registered, qualified families may receive a monthly sales tax rebate in the amount of the monthly federal poverty level (or twice such amount for married individuals) multiplied by the federal sales tax rate. Each family member must have a Social Security number and be a lawful resident of the United States. Federal sales tax revenues are allocated to general revenue, the Social Security trust funds, and the Medicare trust funds. (Special allocation rules apply for 2027.)The bill eliminates appropriations for the Internal Revenue Service after FY2029 and establishes an Excise Tax Bureau and a Sales Tax Bureau within the Department of the Treasury. Finally, the bill terminates the federal sales tax if the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution (authorizing a federal income tax) is not repealed within seven years from the date the bill is enacted.

This bill repeals the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. The act established certain voter registration requirements for federal elections, such as the requirement for states to allow individuals to register to vote when they apply for a driver's license.

Secret Service Prioritization Act of 2025This bill transfers most investigative authorities of the U.S. Secret Service to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Specifically, the bill transfers to the FBI the Secret Service's authority to investigate federal criminal offenses involving (1) certain misconduct in connection with government transportation requests, federal farm loans, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; (2) coins, obligations, and securities of the United States and foreign governments, including counterfeiting of U.S. currency; and (3) financial and computer-based crimes, including identity theft, electronic access fraud, computer fraud, and electronic benefits transfer fraud. Under the bill, the Secret Service retains the authority to investigate two categories of federal criminal offenses: (1) threats against the President, President-elect, Vice President, or Vice President-elect; and (2) threats against former Presidents and certain other persons. 

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.

End Endless Criminal Statutes ActThis bill permits individuals and organizations to make and pass metal coins intended for use as real money so long as the coins are of original design (i.e., do not resemble U.S. or foreign currency). Additionally, the bill repeals various federal misdemeanor offenses (i.e., criminal offenses punishable by a maximum prison term of one year or less), including the following: writing a check for less than $1,selling oleomargarine or colored margarine unless it complies with packaging and labeling requirements and is served in a triangular shape,removing a stamp from a piece of mail,boarding a vessel without authorization before it has been completely moored, andusing the Capitol Grounds as a playground.