Congress 114 - HR 4720 - Expedited Family Reunification Act of 2016

Sponsor

Cosponsors

Topics

Belize Border security and unlawful immigration Child safety and welfare Costa Rica Crimes against children El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Human trafficking Immigration Immigration status and procedures International law and treaties Latin America Lawyers and legal services Nicaragua Panama Refugees, asylum, displaced persons

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Summary

Expedited Family Reunification Act of 2016

This bill amends the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 to provide that any unaccompanied alien child (UAC) who has not been a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons or does not have a credible fear of persecution on returning to his or her country of nationality or of last habitual residence shall be:

placed in removal proceedings,
eligible for voluntary departure at no cost to the child, and
provided with access to counsel.

(Currently such expedited removal requirements apply to unaccompanied children from countries that are contiguous to the United States.)

The Department of State shall negotiate agreements, in addition to countries contiguous to the United States, between the United States and Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and any other appropriate country regarding the repatriation of children.

The requirements of this Act are applied to any UAC apprehended on or after June 15, 2012.

Actions

Apr 1, 2016

Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.
Mar 7, 2016

Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Mar 7, 2016

Introduced in House

Amendments

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