Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes limitations on the president's authority to suspend or restrict undocumented individuals from entering the United States.

Highlights:

• Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to limit the president’s authority to suspend or restrict undocumented individuals from entering the United States to only instances where the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, determines that the entry of any class of undocumented individuals to the country would undermine the security and public safety of the U.S. (Sec. 3).

• Requires the president to specify the time period duration and narrowly tailor the suspension or restriction by using the least restrictive means to achieve their goals for any aforementioned suspension or restriction (Sec. 3).

• Prohibits religious discrimination when issuing immigrant or nonimmigrant work visas (Sec. 3).

• Requires the Secretary of State and Secretary of Homeland Security to report to Congress within 48 hours of the suspension or restriction going into effect that covers the following, including (Sec. 3):

• The specified objective of the action;

• The estimated number of individuals impacted;

• The constitutional and legislative authority under which the action took place; and

• The circumstances necessitating such action.

• Specifies that if the aforementioned report is not provided to Congress within 48 hours then the suspension or restriction will be immediately terminated (Sec. 3).

• Authorizes individuals or entities unlawfully harmed by the aforementioned suspension or restrictions to take appropriate legal action in a U.S. federal district court (Sec. 3).

• Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to suspend entry of an undocumented individual traveling to the U.S. on a commercial airline who fails to comply with regulations related to detecting fraudulent travel documents (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text