Signed by President Donald Trump

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and appropriate emergency supplemental appropriations to federal departments and agencies for humanitarian assistance and security to respond to migrants attempting to enter the United States at the southern border.

Highlights:

• Appropriates $708 million to US Customs and Border Protection for establishing and operating migrant care and processing facilities (Title III).

• Appropriates $208.95 million to the US Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for necessary expenses to respond to the significant rise in undocumented immigrants at the southewest border (Title III).

• Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that no unaccompanied immigrant child is at an unlicensed facility if the child is any of the following (Sec. 406):

• Not expected to be placed with a sponsor within 30 days;

• Under 13 years old;

• Does not speak English or Spanish as their preferred language;

• Has known special needs, behavioral health issues, or medical issues that would be better served at an alternative facility;

• Is a pregnant or parenting teen; or 

• Would have a reduction of legal services as a result of the transfer to such an unlicensed facility.

• Requires the Secretary, no later than 14 days after enactment of this act, and monthly thereafter, to submit a report regarding the children who were separated from their parents or legal guardians by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to the House and Senate appropriations committees (Sec. 408).

• Requires each report described above to contain the number and ages of children who were separated and the documented cause of separation, as reported by DHS (Sec. 408). 

• Requires the Comptroller General of the United States to, no later than 180 days after the enactment of this act, submit a report to the House and Senate appropriations committees regarding the number of asylum officers and immigration judges, and the corresponding number of support staff necessary to do the following (Sec. 506):

• Fairly and effectively make credible fear determination for individuals within family units and unaccompanied immigrant children;

• Ensure that the credible fear determination and asylum interview is completed no later than 20 days after the date on which a family unit is apprehended; and 

• Fairly and effectively review appeals of credible fear determinations with respect to individuals within family units and unaccompanied immigrant children.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill with amendments that appropriates $4.5 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations to federal departments and agencies for humanitarian assistance and security to respond to migrants attempting to enter the United States at the southern border.

Highlights:

• Appropriates $708 million to US Customs and Border Protection for establishing and operating migrant care and processing facilities (Title III).

• Appropriates $208.95 million to the US Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for necessary expenses to respond to the significant rise in undocumented immigrants at the southewest border (Title III).

• Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that no unaccompanied immigrant child is at an unlicensed facility if the child is any of the following (Sec. 406):

• Not expected to be placed with a sponsor within 30 days;

• Under 13 years old;

• Does not speak English or Spanish as their preferred language;

• Has known special needs, behavioral health issues, or medical issues that would be better served at an alternative facility;

• Is a pregnant or parenting teen; or 

• Would have a reduction of legal services as a result of the transfer to such an unlicensed facility.

• Requires the Secretary, no later than 14 days after enactment of this act, and monthly thereafter, to submit a report regarding the children who were separated from their parents or legal guardians by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to the House and Senate appropriations committees (Sec. 408).

• Requires each report described above to contain the number and ages of children who were separated and the documented cause of separation, as reported by DHS (Sec. 408). 

• Requires the Comptroller General of the United States to, no later than 180 days after the enactment of this act, submit a report to the House and Senate appropriations committees regarding the number of asylum officers and immigration judges, and the corresponding number of support staff necessary to do the following (Sec. 506):

• Fairly and effectively make credible fear determination for individuals within family units and unaccompanied immigrant children;

• Ensure that the credible fear determination and asylum interview is completed no later than 20 days after the date on which a family unit is apprehended; and 

• Fairly and effectively review appeals of credible fear determinations with respect to individuals within family units and unaccompanied immigrant children.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that appropriates $4.5 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations to federal departments and agencies for humanitarian assistance and security to respond to migrants attempting to enter the United States at the southern border.

Highlights:

• Appropriates $200 million to US Customs and Border Protection for a multi-agency, integrated migrant processing center pilot program for family units and unaccompanied immigrant children, including but not limited to the following (Sec. 207):

• Ongoing assessment and treatment efforts for physical or mental health conditions, including development of a support plan and services for each member of a vulnerable population;

• Assessments of child protection and welfare needs;

• Food, shelter, hygiene services and supplies, clothing, and activities appropriate for the non-penal, civil detention of families;

• Free telephonic communication access, including support for contacting family members;

• Direct access to legal orientation, legal representation, and case management in private areas of the center;

• Credible fear and reasonable fear interviews conducted by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) asylum officers in private areas of the center;

• Granting of asylum directly by USCIS for manifestly well-founded or clearly meritorious cases;

• For family units not found removable prior to departure from the center, a release on own recognizance or placement in alternatives to detention with case management, and coordinated transport to a respite shelter or city of final destination;

• For family units found removable prior to departure from the center, safe return planning support by an immigration case manager, including a consular visit with reintegration; and 

• On-site operational support by non-governmental organizations for the identification and protection of vulnerable populations.

• Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to notify House and Senate appropriations committees within 24 hours of any unaccompanied child placed in the pilot program whose time in Department of Homeland Security custody exceeds 72 hours, and of a family unit placed in the pilot program whose time in such custody exceeds 9 days (Sec. 207).

• Requires the Secretary to ensure that no unaccompanied immigrant child is at an unlicensed facility if the child is not expected to be placed with a supervisor within 30 days (Sec. 306). 

• Requires the Secretary to ensure that no unaccompanied immigrant child is at an unlicensed facility if the child is any of the following (Sec. 306):

• Under 13 years old;

• Does not speak English or Spanish as their preferred language;

• Has known special needs, behavioral health issues, or medical issues that would be better served at an alternative facility;

• Is a pregnant or parenting teen; or 

• Would have a reduction of legal services as a result of the transfer to such an unlicensed facility.

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text